!''-<■  <4,'i''«i  it;,  ft  i^T^':  ■ 


> 


iri^^-O^'f^^'^ 


A  BOOK  OF  SAINTS  AND  WON- 
DERS *PUT  DOWN  HERE  BY  LADY 
GREGORY  ACCORDING  TO  THE 
OLD  WRITINGS  AND  THE  MEMORY 
OF     THE     PEOPLE     OF     IRELAND 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS 

153-157    FIFTH   AVENUE 

1907 


O^  THE  \ 


llGl\ 


PRINTED  BY 
HAZELL,   WATSON   AND   VINEY,   LD., 
LONDON   AND  AYLESBURY, 
ENGLAND. 


CONTENTS  Page 

BOOK  ONE 
BRIGIT,  THE  MARY  OF  THE  GAEL 

Brigit  in  her  Young  Youth  i 

Brigit  in  her  Father's  House  i 

She  Minds  the  Dairy  2 

She  Fills  the  Vessels  3 
The  Man  that  had  Lost  his  Wife's  Love     4 

The  Drying  of  Brigit's  Cloak  5 

The  King  of  Leinster's  Fox  5 

Brigit  Spreads  her  Cloak  6 

The  Leper  who  would  be  a  King  7 

The  Lake  of  Milk  7 

The  Things  Brigit  wished  for  7 

The  Son  of  Reading  8 

The  Fishes  Honour  her  9 
A  Hymn  made  for  Brigit  by  Brennain 

or  another  9 

Brigit  Helps  the  Mother  of  God  10 

The  First  of  February  1 1 

A  Hymn  Brocan  made  for  Brigit  1 2 

Her  Care  for  Leinster  1 3 

She  Remembers  the  Poor  1 3 
The  Boy  that  dreamed  he  would  get 

his  Health  15 

The  Water  of  the  Well  1 5 

The  Binding  16 

*  •  • 

111 


CONTENTS 

BOOK  TWO 
COLUMCILLE,  THE  FRIEND  OF  THE 

ANGELS  OF  GOD 

The  Golden  Moon  17 

He  learns  his  Letters  1 8 

His  Helpers  the  Angels  1 8 

Doire  the  Plain  of  the  Oakwood  2 1 
A  Praise  he  made  of  Doire  and  he 

going  over  the  Sea  2 1 

Columcille's  little  Kinsman  24 

His  Farewell  to  Aran  25 

The  Island  of  H  ii  28 

The  Crane  from  Ireland  29 
Ireland  was  more  to   him  than  any 

other  Place  30 

The  Poor  Man  and  the  Stake  3 1 

The  Nettle  Broth  34 

The  Cranes  of  Druim  Ceta  35 

His  Strange  Visitor  36 
The  Breaking  of  Columcille's  Guarantee  38 

The  Voyage  of  Snedgus  42 
A   Hymn    Columcille   made  and  he 

going  a  Journey  47 

The  Ladder  of  Glass  50 

Columcille  keeps  the  Feast  of  Pentecost  50 

How  the  News  was  brought  to  Ireland  52 

ForgailFs  Lament  53 

Columcille's  Burying  Place  56 

Columcille's  Valley  57 

iv 


CONTENTS 

BOOK  THREE 
BLESSED  PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 
The  Four  Households  59 
He  gets  his  Freedom  59 
The  Man  and  Woman  that  were  al- 
ways Young  60 
Patrick  goes  back  to  Ireland  61 
The  Deer's  Cry  62 
Patrick  and  the  Big  Men  64 
The  Hidden  Well  of  Usnach  67 
Patrick  and  Cascorach  the  Musician         68 
Patrick's  Farewell  to  Caoilte  72 
Bodb  Dearg's  Daughter  73 
Ethne  the  Beautiful  and  Fedelm  the 

Rosy-Red  76 

The  Soul  and  the  Body  78 

Patrick's  Rush  Candles  78 

His  Church  at  Ardmacha  79 

He  is  Waked  by  the  Angels  79 

BOOK  FOUR 
THE  VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

The  Queen's  Foster-Son  8 1 

The  Little  Bald  Islands  84 

The  Island  of  Ants  86 

The  Island  of  Birds  86 

The  Beast  that  was  like  a  Horse  87 

The  Demon  Riders  87 

A  House  of  Plenty  89 


CONTENTS 

The  Apple  Rod  89 

The  WhirHng  Beast  90 

The  Wicked  Horses  9 1 

The  Fiery  Pigs  9 1 

The  Little  Cat  93 

The  War  of  Colours  95 

The  Weighty  Calves  96 

The  Mill  97 

The  Island  of  Keening  97 

The  Four- Fenced  Island  98 

The  Woman  with  the  Pail  99 

The  Sound  Hke  Psalms  102 

The  Sod  from  Ireland  102 

The  Well  of  Nourishment  i  o  3 

The  Smiths  at  the  Forge  1 04 

The  Very  Clear  Sea  105 

The  Sea  like  a  Mist  1 06 

The  Pelting  with  Nuts  1 06 

The  Salmon  Stream  107 

The  Silver-Meshed  Net  108 
The  Door  under  Locks 
The  Ball  of  Thread 
The  Salley  Trees 
The  Bird  that  got  back  its  Youth 
The  Laughing  People 
The  Fire- Walled  Island 
The  Covetous  Cook 
The  Bird  from  Ireland 


09 
09 

13 

^7 
18 

18 
24 


VI 


CONTENTS 

BOOK  FIVE 
GREAT  WONDERS  OF  THE  OLDEN 

TIME 

Blessed  Ciaran  and  his  Scholars 

His  Kindness  is  living  yet 

Blessed  Cellach's  Lament 

The  Wolf's  Prophecy 

Liban  the  Sea  Woman 

The  Priest  and  the  Bees 

The  Hymn  of  Molling's  Guest 

Tuan,  Son  of  Cairell 

Fintain's  Yew  Tree 

How  Conchubar  the  High  King  died 
for  Christ 

The  Wonders  told  by  Philip  the 
Apostle  that  was  called  the  Ever- 
Living  Tongue 

The  Seven  Heavens 

The  Secrets  of  the  Sea 

Four  of  the  World's  Wells 

The  Four  Precious  Stones 

The  Four  Trees  that  have  a  Life  like 
the  Angels 

The  Journey  of  the  Sun 

The  Nature  of  the  Stars 

The  High  Ever-Living  Birds 

Four  of  the  Strange  Races  of  Mankind 

The  Valley  of  Pain 

vii  b 


27 
29 

31 
33 
36 

37 
40 

46 
47 


49 

53 

54 

58 
60 

61 


CONTENTS 


The  Cloud  of  Witnesses  1 6  3 

A  Praise  of  Caillen  and  his  Blessed 

Death 
The  CalHng  of  Martin  the  Miller 
Martin  and  the  Grass-Corn 
The  Birth  of  Colman  of  Aidhne 
His  Home  in  Burren 
The  Little  Lad  and  the  Birds 
The  Little  Lad  in  the  Well 
Colman  helps  a  Farmer 
He  shows  Respect  for  Respect 
A  Very  Good  Well 
Marbhan's  Hymn  of  Content 
Guaire,  the  Helper  of  the  Poor 
His  Kindness  to  the  Bush 
The  Making  of  the  Harp 
Mochae  and  the  Bird 
The  Priest  that  was  called  Mad 
The  Old  Woman  of  Beare 

BOOK  SIX 
THE  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

His  Vision  of  the  Land  of  Promise  185 

The  News  of  the  Hidden  Country  185 

The  Beginning  of  Brendan's  Search  188 

The  Very  Comely  Hound  189 

The  Island  of  Sheep  1 89 

Jasconye  the  Fish  190 

The  Paradise  of  Birds  1 9 1 

•  • « 

vm 


64 

67 
67 

68 

70 
70 

71 
72 

72 

72 

74 

IS 
76 

V 

79 
81 


CONTENTS 

The  Silent  Brotherhood  193 

The  Feast  of  the  Resurrection  197 

The  Bird's  ForetelKng  1 97 

The  Dangers  of  the  Sea  198 

A  Border  of  Hell  20 1 

A  Most  Wretched  Ghost  202 

Paul  the  Hermit  205 

A  Lucky  Journey  206 

The  Land  of  Promise  207 

Brendan's  Home-coming  208 

Note  210 


IX 


SAINTS  AND  WONDERS 

BOOK  ONE: 

BRIGIT,  THE  MARY  OF  THE  GAEL 

BRIGIT  IN  HER  Now  as  to  Brigit  she 
YOUNG  YOU  I'H  was  born  at  sunrise  on 
the  first  day  of  the  spring,  of  a  bondwoman 
of  Connacht.  And  it  was  angels  that  baptized 
her  and  that  gave  her  the  name  of  Brigit, 
that  is  a  Fiery  Arrow.  She  grew  up  to  be  a 
serving  girl  the  same  as  her  mother.  And 
all  the  food  sJie  used  was  the  milk  of  a 
white  red-eared  cow  that  was  set  apart  for 
her  by  a  druid.  And  everything  she  put 
her  hand  to  used  to  increase,  and  it  was  she 
wove  the  first  piece  of  cloth  in  Ireland,  and 
she  put  the  white  threads  in  the  loom  that 
have  a  power  of  healing  in  them  to  this  day. 
She  bettered  the  sheep  and  she  satisfied  the 
birds  and  she  fed  the  poor. 
BRIGIT  IN  HER  And  when  she  grew 

FATHER'S  HOUSE  to  be  strong  and  to 
have  good  courage  she  went  to  her  father 
Dubthach's  house  in  Munster  and  stopped 
with  him  there.  And  one  time  there  came 
some  high  person  to  the  house,  and  food 
was  made  ready  for  him  and  for  his  people; 
and  five  pieces  of  bacon  were  given  to 
Brigit,  to  boil  them.  But  there  came  into 
the  house  a  very  hungry  miserable  hound, 

B 


BOOK  ONE:  BRIGIT,  THE 

and  she  gave  him  out  of  pity  a  piece  of  the 
bacon.  And  when  thehound  was  not  satisfied 
with  that  she  gave  him  another  piece.  Then 
Dubthach  came  and  he  asked  Brigit  were 
the  pieces  of  bacon  ready;  and  she  bade  him 
count  them  and  he  counted  them,  and  the 
whole  of  the  five  pieces  were  there,  not  one 
of  them  missing.  But  the  high  guest  that  was 
there  and  that  Brigit  had  thought  to  be  asleep 
had  seen  all,  and  he  told  her  father  all  that 
happened.  And  he  and  the  people  that  were 
with  him  did  not  eat  that  meat, for  they  were 
not  worthy  of  it,  but  it  was  given  to  the  poor 
and  to  the  wretched. 

SHE  MINDS  After  that  Brigit  went  to 
THE  DAIRY  visit  her  mother  that  was  in 
bondage  to  a  druid  of  Connacht.  And  it  is  the 
way  she  was  at  that  time,  at  a  grass-farm  of 
the  mountains  having  on  it  twelve  cows,  and 
she  gathering  butter.  And  there  was  sickness 
on  her,  and  Brigit  cared  her  and  took  charge 
of  the  whole  place.  And  the  churning  she 
made,  she  used  to  divide  it  first  into  twelve 
parts  in  honour  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  our 
Lord;  and  the  thirteenth  part  she  would 
make  bigger  than  the  rest,  to  the  honour 
of  Christ,  and  that  part  she  would  give  to 
strangers  and  to  the  poor.  And  the  serving 


MARY  OF  THE  GAEL 

boy  wondered  to  see  her  doing  that,  but  it  is 
what  she  used  to  say:  'It  is  in  the  name  of 
Christ  I  feed  the  poor;  for  Christ  is  in  the 
body  of  every  poor  man.' 
SHE  FILLS  One  time  the  serving  boy 

THE  VESSELS  went  to  the  druid's  house, 
and  they  asked  was  the  girl  minding  the 
dairy  well.  And  he  said  *I  am  thankful,  and 
the  calves  are  fat;'  for  he  dared  not  say 
anything  against  the  girl,  and  she  not  there. 
But  the  druid  got  word  of  what  she  was 
doing,  and  he  came  to  visit  the  farm,  and  his 
wife  along  with  him;  and  the  cows  were 
doing  well,  and  the  calves  were  fat.  Then 
they  went  into  the  dairy,  having  with  them 
a  vessel  eighteen  hands  in  height.  And  Brigit 
bade  them  welcome  and  washed  their  feet, 
and  made  ready  food  for  them,  and  after  that 
they  bade  her  fill  up  the  vessel  with  butter. 
And  she  had  but  a  churning  and  a  half  for 
them,  and  she  went  into  the  kitchen  where 
it  was  stored  and  it  is  what  she  said: 
*0  my  High  Prince  who  can  do  all  these 
things,  this  is  not  a  forbidden  asking;  bless 
my  kitchen  with  thy  right  hand! 
'  My  kitchen,  the  kitchen  of  the  white  Lord; 
a  kitchen  that  was  blessed  by  my  King;  a 
kitchen  where  there  is  butter. 


BOOK  ONE:  BRIGIT,  THE 

'My  Friend  is  coming,  the  Son  of  Mary;  it 

is  he  blessed  my  kitchen  ;  the  Prince  of  the 

world  comes  to  this  place;  that  there  may  be 

plenty  with  him!'  After  she  had  made  that 

hymn  she  brought  the  half  of  the  churning 

from  the  place  where  it  was  stored;  and  the 

druid's  wife  mocked  at  her  and  said  *It  is 

good  filling  for  a  large  vessel  this  much  is!' 

*Fill  your  vessel'  said  Brigit,  'and  God  will 

add  something  to  it.'  And  she  was  going 

back  to  her  kitchen  and  bringing  half  a 

churning  every  time  and  saying  every  time 

a  verse  of  those  verses.  And  if  all  the  vessels 

of  the  men  of  Munster  had  been  brought  to 

her  she  would  have  filled  the  wliole  of  them. 

THE  MAN  THAT     Brigit  would  give  her- 

HAD  EOSr  HIS         self    to    no    man     in 

WIFE'S  LOVE  marriage  but  she  took 

the  veil  and  after  that  she  did  o-reat  wonders. 

There  came  to  her  one  time  a  man  making 

his  complaint  that  his  wife  would  not  sleep 

with  him  but  was  leaving  him,  and  he  came 

asking  a  spell  from  Brigit  that  would  bring 

back  her  love.  And  Brigit  blessed  water  for 

him, and  it  is  whatshe  said:  'Bring  that  water 

into  your  house,  and  put  it  in  the  food  and  in 

the  drink  and  on  the  bed.'  And  after  he  had 

done  that,  his  wife  gave  him  great  love,  so  that 

4 


MARY  OF  THE  GAEL 

she  could  not  be  as  far  as  the  other  side  of  the 
house  from  him,  but  was  always  at  his  hand. 
And  one  day  he  set  out  on  a  journey,  leaving 
the  wife  in  her  sleep,  and  as  soon  as  she  awoke 
from  her  sleep  she  rose  up  and  followed  after 
her  man  till  she  saw  him,  and  there  was  a  strip 
of  the  sea  between  them.  And  she  called  out 
to  himand  it  is  whatshe  said,  that  if  he  would 
not  come  back  to  her,  she  would  go  into  the 
sea  that  was  between  them. 
THE  DRYING  OF  One  time  Brennain, 
BRIGIT'S  CLOAK  saint  of  the  Gad,came 
from  the  west  to  Brigit,  to  the  plain  of  the 
Life,  for  he  wondered  at  the  great  name  she 
had  for  doing  miracles  and  wonders.  And 
Brigit  came  in  from  her  sheep  to  welcome 
him,  and  as  she  came  into  the  house  she  laid 
her  cloak  that  was  wet  on  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
and  they  held  it  up  the  same  as  hooks.  Then 
Brennain  bade  his  serving  lad  to  put  hiscloak 
on  the  sun  rays  in  the  same  way,  and  he  put 
itonthem,  but  twice  it  fell  from  them.  Then 
Brennain  himself  put  it  on  them  the  third 
time,  and  there  was  anger  on  him,  and  that 
time  it  stopped  on  the  rays. 
THE  KING  OF  One  time  there  was  a 

LEINSTER'S  FOX       manofherhousehold 
cutting  firing,  and  it  chanced  to  him  to  kill 

5 


BOOK  ONE:  BRIGIT,  THE 

a  pet  fox  belonging  to  the  King  of  Leinster, 
and  the  King  had  him  made  prisoner.  But 
Brigit  called  the  fox  out  of  the  wood,  and  he 
came  and  was  at  his  tricks  and  his  games  for 
the  King  and  his  people  at  Brigit's  bidding. 
And  when  he  had  done  his  tricks  he  went 
away  safe  through  the  wood,  and  the  army  of 
Leinster,  footmen  and  horsemen  and  hounds, 
after  him. 

BRIGIT  SPREADS     When  she  was  a  poor 
HER  CLOAK  girl  she  was  minding 

her  cow  one  time  at  the  Curraghof  Life,  and 
she  had  no  place  to  feed  it  but  the  side  of  the 
road.  And  a  rich  man  that  owned  the  land 
cameby  and  sawher  and  he  said  'How  much 
land  would  it  take  to  give  grass  to  the  cow?' 
'As  much  as  my  cloak  would  cover'  said  she. 
T  will  give  that'  said  the  rich  man.  She  laid 
down  her  cloak  then,  and  itwasspreadingout 
miles  and  miles  on  every  side.  But  there  was 
a  silly  old  woman  passing  by  and  she  said  Tf 
that  cloak  goes  on  spreading,  all  Ireland  will 
be  free;'  and  with  that  the  cloak  stopped  and 
spread  no  more.  And  Brigit  held  that  land 
through  her  lifetime,  and  it  never  had  rent 
onitsince,  but  the  English  Government  have 
taken  it  now  and  have  put  barracks  upon  it. 
It  is  a  pity  the  old  woman  spoke  that  time. 

6 


MARY  OF  THE  GAEL 

She  did  notknow  Brigit  to  be  better  than  any 
other  one. 

THE  LEPER  WHO  A  leper  came  one 
WOULD  BE  A  KING  time  to  Brigit,  ask- 
ingacow.  And  Brigit  said  *Wouldyousooner 
have  a  cow  or  be  healed  of  your  disease?'  T 
would  sooner  be  healed'  he  said  *than  to  have 
the  sway  over  the  whole  world.  For  every 
sound  man  is  a  king'  he  said.  Then  Brigit 
prayed  to  God;  and  the  leper  was  healed,  and 
served  her  afterwards. 

THE  LAKE  The  Seven  Bishops  came  to 
OF  MILK  her  in  a  place  she  had  in  the 
north  of  Kildare,  and  she  asked  her  cook 
Blathnet  had  she  any  food,  and  she  said  she 
had  not.  And  Brigit  was  ashamed,  being  as 
she  was  without  food  before  those  holy  men, 
andsheprayedhard  to  the  Lord.  Then  angels 
came  and  bade  her  to  milk  the  cows  for  the 
third  time  that  day.  So  she  milked  them  her- 
self, and  they  filled  the  pailswith  the  milk,and 
they  would  have  filled  all  the  vessels  of  the 
whole  of  Leinster.  And  the  milk  overflowed 
the  vessels  till  it  made  a  lake  that  is  called  the 
Lake  of  Milk  to  this  day. 
THE  THINGS  BRL  These  were  the 
GIT  WISHED  FOR  wishes  of  Brigit : 
*I  would  wish  a  great  lake  of  ale  for  the  King 

7 


BOOK  ONE:  BRIGIT,  THE 

of  Kings;  I  would  wish  thefamily  of  Heaven 

to  be  drinking  it  through  hfe  and  time. 

*I  would  wish  the  men  of  Heaven  in  my  own 

house;  I  would  wish  vessels  of  peace  to  be 

giving  to  them. 

*I  would  wish  vessels  full  of  alms  to  be  giving 

away;  I  would  wish  ridges  of  mercy  forpeace- 

making. 

*I  would  wish  joy  to  be  in  their  drinking;  I 

would  wish  Jesus  to  be  here  among  them. 

'twould  wish  the  three  Marys  of  great  name; 

I  would  wish   the  people  of  Heaven  from 

every  side. 

*I  would  wish  to  be  a  rent-payer  to  the  Prince; 

the  way  if  I  was  in  trouble  he  would  give  me 

a  good  blessing.' 

Whatever,  now,  Brigit  would  ask  of  the  Lord, 

he  would  give  it  to  her  on  the  moment.  And 

it  is  what  her  desire  was,  to  satisfy  the  poor, 

to  banish  every  hardship,  and  to  save  every 

sorrowful  man. 

THE  SON  OF     One  time  she  was  minding 

READING  her  sheep  on  the  Curragh,! 

and  shesawason  of  reading  running  past  her.  i 

*What  is  it  makes  you  so  uneasy.?*'  she  said 

'and  what  is  it  you  are  looking  for:^'  'It  is  to, 

Heaven  I  am  running,  woman  of  the  veil' 

said  the  scholar.  'The  Virgin's  Son  knows  he 

8 


MARY  OF  THE  GAEL 

is  happy  that  makes  that  journey'  said  Brigit. 
^And  pray  to  God  to  make  it  easy  for  myself 
to  go  there'  she  said.  *I  have  no  time'  said  he; 
'for  the  gates  of  Heaven  are  open  now,  and 
I  am  in  dread  they  might  be  shut  against  me. 
And  as  you  are  hindering  me'  he  said  'pray 
to  the  Master  to  make  it  easy  for  me  to  go 
there,  and  I  will  pray  him  to  make  it  easy  for 
you.'  Then  they  said  'Our  Father'  together, 
&  he  was  religiousfrom  that  out,  and  it  was 
he  gave  her  absolution  at  the  last.  And  it 
is  by  reason  of  him  that  the  whole  of  the 
sons  of  learning  of  the  world  are  with 
Brigit. 

THE  FISHES  Brennain  came  to  Brigit 
HONOUR  HER  one  time  to  ask  whv  was 
it  the  beasts  of  the  sea  gave  honour  to  her 
more  than  to  the  rest  of  the  saints.  Then  they 
made  their  confession  to  each  other,  and  Bren- 
nain said  after  that  'In  my  opinion,  girl,  it  is 
right  the  beasts  are  when  they  honour  you 
above  ourselves.' 

A  HYMN  MADE  'Brigit,  excellent  wo- 
FOR  BRIGIT  BY  man;suddenflame;  may 
BRENNAIN  OR  the  bright  fiery  sun 
ANOTHER  bring  us  to  the  lasting 

kingdom. 
'May  Brigit  save  us  beyond  troops  of  demons; 

9  c 


BOOK  ONE:  BRIGIT,  THE 

may  she  break  before  us  the  battles  of  every 
death. 

'May  she  do  away  with  the  rent  sin  has  put 
on  us;  the  blossomed  branch;  the  Mother 
of  Jesus;  the  dear  young  woman  greatly 
looked  up  to.  That  I  may  be  safe  in  every 
place  with  my  saint  of  Leinster ! ' 
BRIGIT  HELPS  THE  There  was  a  poor 
MOTHER  OF  GOD  man,  and  a  poor 
woman,  living  in  an  ancient  place  in  Ireland, 
a  sort  of  a  wilderness.  The  man  used  to  be 
wishing  for  a  son  that  would  be  a  help  to 
him  with  the  work,  but  the  woman  used  to 
say  nothing,  because  she  was  good.  They 
had  a  baby  at  last,  but  it  was  a  girl,  and  the 
man  was  sorry  and  he  said  *We  will  always 
be  poor  now.'  But  the  woman  said,  for  it  j 
was  showed  to  her  at  that  time,  'This  child 
will  be  the  Mother  of  God.'  The  girl  grew 
up  in  that  ancient  place,  and  one  day  she  was 
sitting  at  the  door,  and  our  Saviour  sent  One 
to  her  that  said  'Would  you  wish  to  be  the 
Mother  of  God?'  'I  would  wish  it'  said  she. 
And  on  the  minute,  as  she  said  that,  the 
Saviour  went  into  her  as  a  child.  The  Mes- 
senger took  her  with  him  then,  and  he  put 
beautiful  clothing  on  her,  and  she  turned  to 
be  so  beautiful  that  all  the  people  followed 

lO 


MARY  OF  THE  GAEL 

them,  crowding  to  see  the  two  beautiful 
people  that  were  passing  by.  They  met  then 
with  Brigit,  and  the  Mother  of  God  said  to 
her,  'What  can  we  do  to  make  these  crowds 
leave  following  us?'  'I  will  do  that  for  you' 
said  Brigit  *for  I  will  show  them  a  greater 
wonder.'  She  went  into  a  house  then  and 
brought  out  a  harrow  and  held  it  up  over 
her  head,  and  everyone  of  the  pins  gave  out 
a  flame  like  a  candle;  and  all  the  people 
turned  back  to  look  at  the  shinino^  harrow 
that  was  such  a  great  wonder.  And  it  is  be- 
cause of  that  the  harrow  is  blessed  since  that 
time.  The  Mother  of  God  asked  her  then 
what  would  she  do  for  her  as  a  reward.  'Put 
my  day  before  your  own  day  '  said  Brigit. 
So  she  did  that,  and  Saint  Brigit's  day  is  kept 
before  her  own  day  ever  since.  And  there  are 
I  some  say  Brigit  fostered  the  Holy  Child,  and 
kept  an  account  of  every  drop  of  blood  he 
lost  through  his  lifetime,  and  anyway  she 
was  always  going  about  with  the  Mother  of 
God. 

THE  FIRST  OF  And  from  that  time  to  this 
FEBRUARY  the  housekeepers  have  a 

rhyme  to  say  on  Saint  Brigit's  day,  bidding 
them  to  bring  out  a  firkin  of  butter  and  to 
divide  it  among  the  working  boys.  For  she 

II 


BOOK  ONE:  BRIGIT,  THE 

was  good  always,  and  it  was  her  desire  to 
feed  the  poor,  to  do  away  with  every  hard- 
ship, to  be  gentle  to  every  misery.  And  it  is 
on  her  day  the  first  of  the  birds  begin  to  make 
their  nests,  and  the  blessed  Crosses  are  made 
with  straw  and  are  put  up  in  the  thatch;  for 
the  death  of  the  year  is  done  with  and  the 
birthday  of  the  year  is  come.  And  it  is  what 
the  Gael  of  Scotland  say  in  a  verse: 
'Brigit  put  her  finger  in  the  river  on  the  feast 
day  of  Brigit,  and  away  went  the  hatching- 
mother  of  the  cold. 

'She  washed  the  palms  of  her  hands  in  the 
river  on  the  day  of  the  feast  of  Patrick,  and 
away  went  the  birth-mother  of  the  cold.' 
A  HYMN  BROCAN  'Victorious  Brigit 
MADE  FOR  BRIGIT  did  not  love  the 
world;  the  spending  of  the  world  was  not 
dear  to  her;  a  wonderful  ladder  for  the  people 
to  climb  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of  Mary. 
'Awildboarcame  amongherswine;  he  hunted 
the  wild  pigs  to  thenorth ;  Brigit  blessed  him 
with  her  staff,  that  he  made  his  dwelling  with 
her  own  herd. 

'She  was  open  in  all  her  doings;  she  was  only 
Mother  of  the  great  King's  Son;  she  blessed 
the  frightened  bird  till  she  played  with  it  in 
her  hand. 

12 


MARY  OF  THE  GAEL 

'Before  going  with  angels  to  the  battle  let  us 
go  running  to  the  church;  to  remember  the 
i  Lord  is  better  than  anypoem.  VictoriousBrigit 
did  not  love  the  world.' 
HER  CARE  FOR  On  the  day  of  the  battle 
LEINSTER  of  Almhuin,  Brigit  was 

seen  over  the  menof  Leinster,and  Columcille 
was  seen  over  the  Ua  Neill;  and  it  was  the 
men  of  Leinster  won  that  battle.  And  along 
time  after  that  again,  when  Strongbow  that 
had  brought  great  trouble  into  Ireland  and 
that  was  promised  the  kingdom  of  Leinster 
was  near  his  end,  he  cried  out  from  his  bed 
that  he  saw  Brigit  of  the  Gael,  and  that  it 
was  sheherself  wasbringinghimto  his  death. 
SHE  REMEMBERS  ButifBrigitbelonged 
THE  POOR  to  the  east,  it  is  not  in 

the  west  she  is  forgotten,  and  the  people  of 
Barren  and  of  Corcomruadh  and  Kinvara  go 
every  year  to  her  blessed  well  that  is  near  the 
sea,  praying  and  remembering  her.  And  in 
that  well  there  is  a  little  fish  that  is  seen  every 
seven  years,  and  whoever  sees  that  fish  is  cured 
of  every  disease.  And  there  is  a  woman  living 
yet  that  is  poor  and  old  and  that  saw  that 
blessed  fish,  and  this  is  the  way  she  tells  the 
story:  'I  had  a  pearl  in  my  eye  one  time,  and 
I  went  to  Saint  Brigit's  well  on  the  cliffs. 

13 


BOOK  ONE:  BRIGIT,  THE 

Scores  of  people  there  were  in  it,  looking  for 
cures,  and  some  got  them  and  some  did  not 
get  them.  And  I  went  down  the  four  steps 
to  the  well  and  I  was  looking  into  it,  and  I  I 
saw  a  little  fish  no  longer  than  your  finger 
coming  from  a  stone  under  the  water.  Three 
spots  it  had  on  the  one  side  and  three  on  the  ^ 
other  side,  red  spots  and  a  little  green  with 
the  red,  and  it  was  very  civil  coming  hither  ^ 
to  me  and  very  pleasant  wagging  its  tail.  And 
it  stopped  andlookedupatme  and  gave  three  | 
wags  of  its  back,  and  walked  off  again  and 
went  in  under  the  stone. 
'And  I  said  to  a  woman  that  was  near  me  that 
I  saw  the  little  fish,  and  she  began  to  call  out 
and  to  say  there  were  many  coming  with  cars 
and  with  horses  for  a  month  past  and  none 
of  them  saw  it  at  all.  And  she  proved  me, 
asking  had  it  spots,  and  I  said  it  had,  three  on 
the  one  side  and  three  on  theotherside.  'That 
is  it'  she  said.  And  within  three  days  I  had 
the  sight  of  my  eye  again.  It  was  surely  Saint 
Brigit  I  saw  that  time;  who  else  would  it  be? 
And  you  would  know  by  the  look  of  it  that 
it  was  no  common  fish.  Very  civil  it  was,  and 
nice  and  loughy,  and  no  one  else  saw  it  at 
all.  Did  I  say  more  prayers  than  the  rest? 
Not  a  prayer.  I  was  young  in  those  days.  I 

14 


IMARY  OF  THE  GAEL 

suppose  she  took  a  liking  to  me,  maybe  be- 
cause of  my  name  being  Brigit  the  same  as 
her  own.' 

THE  BOY  THAT  There    was    a 

DREAMED  HE  WOULD  beggar  boy  used 
GET  HIS  HEALTH  tobe  in  Burren, 

that  was  very  simple  like  and  had  no  health, 
land  if  he  would  walkas  much  as  afewperches 
jit  is  likely  he  would  fall  on  the  road.  And  he 
I  dreamed  twice  that  he  went  to  Saint  Brigit's 
I  blessed  well  upon  the  cliffs  and  that  he  found 
his  health  there.  So  he  set  out  to  go  to  the 
I  well, and  when  he  came  to  it  he  fell  in  and  he 
was  drowned.  Very  simple  he  was  and  inno- 
cent and  withoutsin.  It  is  likely  it  is  inheaven 
he  is  at  this  time. 

THE   WATER  And  there  is  a  woman 

;OF  THE  WELL  in  Burren  now  is  grate- 
jful  to  Saint  Brigit,  for  *I  brought mylittle girl 
ithat  was  not  four  years  old'  she  says  *to  Saint 
iBrigit's  well  on  the  cliffs,  whereshewasailing 
land  pining  away.  I  brought  her  as  far  as  the 
I  doctors  in  Gortand  they  could  do  nothing  for 
•herandthen  I  promised  to  go  to  Saint  Brigit's 
well,  and  from  the  time  I  made  that  promise 
she  got  better.  And  I  saw  the  little  fish  when 
|I  brought  her  there;  and  she  grew  to  be  as 
strong  a  girl  as  ever  went  to  America.  I  made 

15 


I 

BOOK  ONE    ' 

a  promise  to  go  to  the  well  every  year  after     j 
that,  and  so  I  do,  of  a  Garlic  Sunday,  that  is 
thelastSundayin  July.  Andlbroughtabottle     ! 
of  water  from  it  last  year  and  it  is  as  cold  as 
amber  yet.' 

THE  BINDING  And  when  the  people  are 
covering  up  a  red  sod  under  the  ashes  in  the 
night  time  to  spare  the  seed  of  the  fire  for  the 
morning,  they  think  upon  Brigit  the  Fiery 
Arrow  and  it  is  what  they  do  be  saying:  *I 
save  this  fire  as  Christ  saved  everyone;  Brigit 
beneath  it,  the  Son  of  Mary  within  it;  let  the 
three  angels  having  most  power  in  the  court  a 
of  grace  be  keeping  this  house  and  the  people 
of  this  house  and  sheltering  them  until  the  \ 
dawn  of  day.'  For  itiswhat  Brigit  hada  mind 
for;  lasting  goodness  that  was  not  hidden; 
minding  sheep  and  rising  early;  hospitality 
towards  good  men.  It  is  she  keeps  everyone 
that  is  in  straits  and  in  dangers  ;  it  is  she 
puts  down  sicknesses;  it  is  she  quiets  the 
voice  of  the  waves  and  the  anger  of  the  great 
sea.  She  is  the  queen  of  the  south  ;  she  is  the 
mother  of  the  flocks;  she  is  the  Mary  of  the 
Gael. 


i6 


BOOK  TWO  : 

COLUMCILLE,  THE  FRIEND  OF 

THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

THE  It    is    noble    indeed    was    the 

GOLDEN      race  of  Columcille  as  to  this 
MOON  world ;    and    he    had    a    right 

through  his  blood  to  the  kingship  of  Ireland 
but  he  put  it  from  him  for  the  sake  of  God. 
One  time  Fintain  had  a  vision,  and  he  saw  in 
the  vision  two  moons  that  rose  up  from  Cluan 
Eraird,  the  one  a  silver  moon  and  the  other  a 
golden  moon.  The  golden  moon  went  on  to- 
wards the  north  till  it  lightened  Scotland  and 
the  northern  part  of  Ireland;  and  the  silver 
moonwentontillitstoppedbytheSionnanand 
lightened  the  middlepart  of  Ireland.  Colum- 
cille now  was  the  golden  moon  with  his  high 
race  and  his  wisdom ;  and  Ciaran  was  the  sil  ver 
moon  with  the  brightness  of  his  virtues  and 
hispleasantways.  And  theplace  where  he  was 
born  was  Gortan  in  the  north;  and  it  was  on 
a  Thursday  he  was  born,  that  has  from  that 
time  been  a  lucky  day.  And  indeed  it  was  a 
wonderful  child  was  born  that  dav,  Columcille 
son  of  Fedilmid  son  of  Fergus  son  of  Connall 
Gulban  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages. 
There  was  not  a  man  of  higher  race  or  of 
greater  name  born  of  the  Gael.  And  he  was 
brought  for  baptism  to  Cruithnechan  the 

17  D 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

noble  priest;  and  it  was  he  fostered  him  after- 
wards at  the  bidding  of  an  angel;  and  it  was 
angels  that  gave  him  his  name. 
HE  LEARNS  And  when  the  time  for 
HIS  LETTERS  reading  came  to  him,  the 
priest  went  to  a  knowledgeable  man  that 
was  in  the  country  and  asked  him  when 
would  it  be  right  for  the  little  lad  to  begin. 
And  when  the  knowledgeable  man  hadlooked 
at  the  sky  he  said  *Write  out  the  letters  for 
himnow.'  Sotheletterswere  written outupon 
a  cake,  and  it  is  the  way  Columcille  ate  the 
cake,  one  part  to  the  east  of  the  water  and 
the  other  part  to  the  west  of  the  water.  And 
theknowledgeable  man  said  then  through  his 
prophecy  Tt  is  the  same  way  the  sway  of  this 
young  lad  will  be,  one  half  to  the  east  of 
the  sea  in  Scotland,  and  the  other  half  to  the 
west  of  the  sea  in  Ireland/ 
HIS  HELPERS  Afterhe  lefthis  fosterer  he 
THE  ANGELS  went  from  place  to  place 
for  a  while  until  he  came  to  where  Fin  tain 
wasatCluanEraird,  and  he  built  a  cabin  there. 
And  at  that  time  every  one  of  the  twelve 
saints  of  Ireland  used  to  take  his  turn  to  grind 
meal  in  a  quern  through  the  night  ;  but  it 
was  an  angel  of  God  in  heaven  used  to  grind 
for  Columcille.  That  was  the   honour  the 

i8 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

Lord  gave  him  because  of  the  nobleness  of 
his  race  beyond  the  others.  For  as  to  angels  it 
is  often  they  were  about  him,  and  it  is  often 
I  they  helped  him  from  the  beginning  of  his 
life  until  the  end.  One  time  he  was  put  out 
of  the  brotherhood  for  no  just  cause,  and  the 
brothers  were  all  gathered  together  atTailltin 
holding  a  meeting  against  him,  and  he  him- 
self came  to  the  meeting.  And  Brenden  that 
was  there  rose  up  when  he  saw  him  coming 
and  when  he  came  near  he  kissed  him  with 
great  respect.  Some  of  the  old  men  in  the 
gatheringtook  Brenden  on  one  side  then  and 
they  were  faulting  him  and  saying  'Why  did 
you  rise  up  before  a  man  that  has  been  put 
out  of  the  brotherhood  and  why  did  you  kiss 
him?'  And  it  is  what  Brenden  said  *If  youhad 
seen  today  what  the  Lord  thought  fit  to  show 
to  me,  you  would  not  have  dishonoured  him 
that  God  holds  in  such  honour.'  'What  was 
it  you  saw?'  said  they.  'It  is  what  I  saw'  said 
Brenden  'a  very  bright  pillar  with  fiery  hair 
about  it  going  before  this  man  that  you  make 
little  of;  and  the  company  I  saw  travelling 
over  the  plain  with  him  were  the  angels  of 
God.'  One  night  a  very  beautiful  young  man 
in  shining  clothes  came  to  Columcille  in  the 
night  time  and  said  'God  be  with  you,  and 

19 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

be  strong  now  and  steadfast,  for  God  has  sent 
me  to  keep  you  for  ever  and  always  from  all 
the  sin  of  the  world/  But  Columcille  was 
afraid,  and  asked  him  who  he  was.  'lam  AxaV 
he  said  'that  is  a  helper,  an  angel  of  the  Lord; 
and  it  is  to  help  you  and  to  protect  you  from 
every  danger  and  trouble  of  the  world  I  am 
come.'  And  from  that  time  there  were  many 
angels  used  to  be  coming  to  his  help,  but  it 
is  likely  Axal  was  the  one  that  was  always  at 
hand.  Onetime  Columcille  was  sitting  in  his 
little  cell,  and  he  writing,  and  of  a  sudden  his 
lookschangedand  he  called  out  'Help!  help!' 
Then  two  cf  the  brothers  that  were  at  the 
door  asked  thecauseofthat  cry.  And  Colum- 
cille told  them  that  of  a  sudden  he  had  seen 
one  of  the  brothers  falling  from  the  highest 
point  of  a  high  house  that  was  being  built  in 
Doire.  'And  I  bade  the  angel  of  the  Lord'  he 
said  'that  was  justnowstanding  among  you  to 
go  to  his  relief.  And  with  all  the  land  and  sea 
that  lay  between'  he  said  'the  angel  that  had 
but  left  us  as  he  began  to  fall  was  there  in 
time  to  support  him  before  he  reached  the 
ground,  so  that  there  was  no  hurt  or  bruise 
upon  him  at  all.  And  that  was  wonderful  help' 
he  said  'that  could  be  given  so  very  quickly 
as  that/ 

2Q 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

DOIRE  THE  PLAIN      Aedh      King      of 
^  OF  THE  OAKWOOD     L'eland  gave  up  the 
dun  he  had  in  Doire  to  Cokimcille  and  he 
made  his  dwelling  there.  And  he  had  so  great 
a  love  for  Doire,  and  the  cutting  of  the  oak 
trees  went  so  greatly  against  him,  that  he  could 
not  find  a  place  for  his  church  the  time  he 
was  building  it  that  would  let  the  front  of  it 
be  to  the  east,  and  it  is  its  side  was  turned  to 
the  east.  And  he  left  it  upon  those  that  came 
after  him  not  to  cut  a  tree  that  fell  of  itself 
or  was  blown  down  by  the  wind  in  that  place 
to  the  end  of  nine  days,  and  then  to  share  it 
between  the  people  of  the  townland,  bad  and 
good,  a  third  of  it  to  the  great  house  and  a 
tenth  to  be  given  to  the  poor.  And  he  put  a 
verse  in  a  hymn  after  he  was  gone  away  to 
Scotland  thatshows  there  was  nothing  worse 
to  him  than  the  cutting  of  that  oakwood: 
^Though  there  is  fear  on  me  of  death  and  of 
hell,  I  will  not  hide  it  that  I  have  more  fear 
of  the  sound  of  an  axe  over  in  Doire.' 
A  PRAISE  HE  MADE     *It  is  delightful  to 
OF  DOIRE  AND  HE       be  on  Beinn  Edair 
GOING  OVER  THE         before  going  over 
SEA  the  white  sea;  the 

beatingof  the  waves  againstits  wall;  the  bare- 
ness of  its  border  and  its  strand. 

21 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

*It  is  great  is  the  swiftness  of  my  currach  and 
its  back  turned  to  Doire;  it  is  a  fret  to  me  my 
journey  over  the  high  sea,  travelling  to  Scot- 
land of  the  ravens. 

*My  foot  in  my  sweet-sounding  currach;  my 
sorrowful  heart  pleading.  It  is  a  weak  man 
thatis  not  a  leader;  all  that  are  withoutknow- 
ledge  are  blind  altogether. 
^There  is  a  grey  eye  that  is  looking  back  upon 
Ireland;  it  will  never  see  from  day  to  day  the 
men  or  the  women  of  Ireland.  I  stretch  my 
sight  over  the  salt  waters  from  the  strong 
oaken  planks ;  there  is  a  big  tear  in  my 
eye  when  I  look  back  on  Ireland ;  my 
mind  is  set  upon  Ireland,  on  Loch  Lene  of 
Magh  Line;  on  the  country  of  the  men 
of  Ulster ;  on  smooth  Munster  and  on 
Meath. 

'It  isplentifulin  the  eastaretall  fighting  men; 
plentiful  the  troublesand the  sicknesses;  plen- 
tiful the  men  with  scanty  clothes;  plentiful 
the  hard  jealous  hearts. 

*Plentifulin  the  west  are  theapples;  plentiful 
the  kings  &  the  makings  of  kings;  plentiful 
the  wholesome  sloes;  plentiful  the  oaks  with 
acorns. 

*Sweetvoiced  her  clerks;  sweetvoiced  her 
birds;  heryoungmengentleheroldmenwise; 

22 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

her  great  men  are  good  to  look  at;  her  women 

noble,  of  good  rearing. 

'Take  my  blessing  with  you  beautiful  boy, 

my  blessing  and  my  benediction;  the  half  of 

it  for  Ireland  seven  times  over;  the  other 

half  once  for  Scotland.  Take  my   blessing 

over  the  sea  to  the  nobles  of  the  island  of 

the  Gael;  let  them  not  give  heed  to  their 

enemy's  words,  or  to  his  threat  of  harming 

them. 

*Take  my  blessing  with  you  to   the  west; 

my  heart  is  broken  in  my  body.  If  death  should 

overtake  me  suddenly  it  is  through  great  love 

of  the  Gael. 

*Gael,  Gael,  dear  dear  name,  my  one  shout 

and  my  call!  Dear  is  soft  haired  Cuimin,  dear 

are  Caindech  and  Comgall. 

*If  I  had  the  whole  of  Scotland  from   the 

middle  out  to  the  borders  I  would  sooner  have 

a  place  and  a  house  in  the  middle  of  pleasant 

Doire. 

'Itis  the  reason  I  love  Doire,  for  its  quietness 

for  its  purity;  it  is  quite  full  of  white  angels 

from  the  one  end  to  the  other. 

*Itisthe  reason  I  love  Doire,  for  its  quietness 

for  its  purity;  quite  full  of  white  angels  is 

every  leaf  of  the  oaks  of  Doire. 

'My  Doire  my  little  oakwood,  my  dwelling 

23 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

and  my  white  cell;  O  living  God  in  heaven, 
it  is  a  pity  for  him  that  harms  it! 
*Dear  are  Durrow  and  Doire;  dear  is  Rath- 
both  in  its  whiteness;  dear  is  Druimhome  of 
delicate  fruits;  dear  are  Sord  and  Cenacles. 
'Dear  to  my  heart  in  the  west  Druimcliab  at 
the  strand  of  Culcinne;  to  see  white  Loch 
Febhail,  the  shapeof  its  harbourisdelightful. 
'Delightful  is  that  and  delightful  is  the  sea 
where  the  gulls  are  crying;  going  a  long  way 
from  Doire  it  is  quiet  and  it  is  delightful!' 
COLUMCILLE'S  Baothan    that  was 

LITTLE  KINSMAN  afterwardsasaint  of 
the  Gael  was  of  the  kindred  of  Columcille, 
and  it  was  Columcille  sent  him  when  he  was 
a  little  lad  to  be  taught  by  Saint  Colman  Ela. 
But  although  Baothan  had  good  wits  enough 
his  memory  failed  him,  and  it  was  hard  for 
him  to  keep  in  mind  what  his  master  taught 
him.  And  it  happened  one  day  that  Colman 
was  vexed  with  him  at  his  task  and  struck 
him.  Then  Baothan wentaway into  thewood 
to  hide  himself  and  to  avoid  his  tasks,  and 
while  he  was  there  he  saw  a  man  alone  and 
he  building  a  house;  and  according  as  he  came 
to  the  end  of  weaving  one  rod  into  the  wall 
he  would  set  the  head  of  another  to  it,  and 
so  he  worked  on  from  rod  to  rod  setting  one 

24 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

only  at  a  time.  And  that  seemed  very  tedious 
to  the  young  lad  till  he  saw  the  wall  rising 
as  he  watched;  and  he  said  to  himself  then 
*If  I  had  worked  at  my  learning  as  this  man 
works  at  his  building  it  is  likely  I  might  be 
a  scholar  now.'  Then  a  shower  of  rain  fell 
and  he  took  shelter  from  it  under  an  oak  tree 
andhesawadropof  the  rain  falling  from  a  leaf 
of  the  tree  on  one  spot,  and  he  pressed  his 
heel  on  that  spot  and  made  a  little  hollow, 
and  it  was  not  long  till  it  was  filled  by  the 
dropping  of  the  one  drop.  And  Baothan  said 
then  *If  I  had  worked  at  my  task  and  my 
learningevenlittlebylittlelikethat  drop  with- 
out doubt  I  would  be  a  scholar  now.  And  I 
make  my  vow'  he  said  'that  from  this  out  to 
my  life's  end  I  will  never  give  up  my  learning 
however  hard  it  may  be  to  me.' 
HIS  FAREWELL  Columcille  made  a 
TO  ARAN  round  of  the  whole  of 

Ireland  &  he  sowed  the  faith  and  did  what 
he  had  to  do.  And  before  he  went  to  Scotland 
lie  stopped  in  Aran  of  the  Saints  for  a  while, 
and  there  is  a  spot  in  the  island  where  he  used 
to  be  walking  and  that  is  always  green  to  this 
day.  And  when  he  left  Aran  he  made  this 
complaint: 
*A  farewell  from  me  to  Aran ;  a  sorrowful 

25  E 


BOOK  TWO:  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

farewell  as  I  think;  I  myself  sent  eastward  to 

Hii,  and  the  sea  between  it  and  Aran. 

'Afarewellfrom  me  to  Aran;  it  is  it  that  vexes 

my  heart;  I  not  to  be  westward  on  her  waves 

among  troops  of  the  saints  of  heaven. 

*A  farewell  from  me  to  Aran;  my  faithful 

heartis vexed;  itis  alasting  leavetaking;  Och! 

this  parting  is  not  of  my  will. 

'A  farewell  from  me  to  Aran;  it  is  that  is  the 

sorrowful  parting;  she  to  be  full  of  white 

angels  and  I  without  a  lad  in  my  currach. 

*Och  it  is  far,  Ochone  it  is  far  I  am  put  away 

from  Aran  in  the  west;  sent  out  towards  the 

hosts  of  Mona  to  visit  the  men  of  Scotland 

in  the  east. 

*The  Son  of  God,  O  the  Son  of  God,  it  is 

He  sent  me  out  to  Hii;  it  is  He  gave,  great 

the  profit,  Aran  as  the  dwelling-place  of  ' 

prayers  and  of  teaching. 

*Aran  my  sun,  O  Aran  my  sun,  my  affection 

is  lying  in  her  to  the  west;  it  is  the  same  to  be 

under  her  clean  earth  as  under  the  earth  of 

Paul  and  Peter. 

'Aran  my  sun,  O  Aran  my  sun,  my  love  is 

lying  in  her  to  the  west;  to  be  within   the 

sound  of  her  bell,  it  is  the  same  thing  as  to  be 

in  happiness. 

'Aran  my  sun,  O  Aran  my  sun,  my  love  is 

26 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

lying  in  her  to  the  west;  whoever  goes  under 
her  clean  earth,  the  eye  of  no  bad  thing  will 
see  him. 

*  Blessed  Aran,  O  blessed  Aran,  it  is  a  pity  for 
anyone  that  is  against  Aran;  it  is  what  he  will 
get  on  the  head  of  it,  shortening  of  life  and 
the  grave. 

'Blessed  Aran,  O  blessed  Aran,  it  is  a  pity  for 
him  that  isagainst  Aran;  wasting  on  his  chil- 
dren and  on  his  cattle;  he  himself  in  bad  case 
at  the  end. 

'Blessed  Aran,  O  blessed  Aran,  it  is  a  pity  for 
anyone  that  is  against  you;  angels  coming 
down  from  Heaven  to  visit  you  every  day  of 
the  week. 

'Gabriel  comes  every  Sunday  as  it  is  Christ 
gave  the  order;  fifty  angels,  not  weak  the 
cause,  putting  a  blessing  on  her  Masses. 
'Every  Monday,  O  every  Monday,  Michael 
comes,  great  the  advantage;  thirty  angels, 
good  their  behaviour,  come  blessing  her 
churches. 

'Every  Tuesday,  O  every  Tuesday,  Raphael 
comes,  of  high  power;  to  give  a  blessing  on 
her  houses  attending  on  the  prayers  of  Aran. 
'Hard Wednesday, O  hard  Wednesday,  Urial 
comes,  great  the  advantage;  he  comes  to  bless 
three  times  over  the  high  angelic  churches. 

27 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

'Every  Thursday,  O  every  Thursday,  Sariel 
comes,  great  the  advantage;  dividing  God's 
goodincreasefrom  heaven  on  the  bare  stones. 
'Every  Friday,  O  every  Friday,  Ramael 
comes,  his  ranks  with  him;  the  w^ay  every 
eye  is  satisfied  with  white  very  bright  angels. 
'Mary  comes.  Mother  of  God,  having  her 
women  in  her  keeping;  angels  are  in  their 
company;  they  bless  Aran  every  Saturday. 
'If  there  was  no  other  life  but  listening  to  the 
angels  of  Aran,  it  would  be  better  than  any 
life  under  heaven  to  be  hearing  their  talk  to- 
gether!' 

THE  ISLAND  OF  HII  And  when  he  left 
Ireland  for  Scotland  lie  did  good  service 
there;  for  it  was  he  brought  many  of  the  men 
of  Scotland  from  darkness  to  the  light  of  be- 
lief and  of  good  deeds.  It  was  to  the  island 
of  Hii  he  went  first  and  when  he  reached  to 
it  he  said  to  his  people  'It  would  be  well  for 
us  to  put  roots  into  the  earth  in  this  place. 
And  there  is  leave  for  one  of  you'  he  said  'to 
go  under  the  earth  of  this  island  to  consecrate 
it.'  Odhran  rose  up  quickly  then  and  it  is 
what  he  said  'I  am  ready  for  that  if  you  will 
take  me.'  'You  will  get  your  reward  for  that 
Odhran'  said  Columcille  'for  no  asking  will 
be  granted  to  anyone  at  this  place  unless  he 

28 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

Iwill  ask  it  first  of  you/  Then  Odhran  joined 
|thecompanyofHeaven,andafterthatColum- 
Icille  laid  the  foundation  of  his  church.  And 
he  bade  the  brothers  to  have  a  mind  prepared 
for  red  martyrdom  and  a  mind  strong  and 
steadfast  for  white  martyrdom;  forgiveness 
from  the  heart  to  everyone;  constant  prayer 
for  all  that  troubled  them.  ^And  let  you  be  as 
much  in  earnest  saying  the  office  for  the  dead' 
he  said  'as  if  every  one  of  the  faithful  dead 
w^as  your  ov^n  near  friend.'  But  if  it  was  in 
Hii  he  had  his  dwelling-place, he  wentevery 
Thursday  to  Heaven  at  the  call  of  the  Kingof 
the  Three  Peoples. 

THE  CRANE  Onetime  when  Colum- 

FROM  IRELAND  cille  was  living  in  the 
island  of  Hii  he  called  to  one  of  the  brothers 
and  said  'In  the  morning  of  the  third  day 
from  this  go  down  and  wait  on  the  shore  to 
the  west  of  the  island,  for  at  the  ninth  hour 
there  will  come  a  stranger,  a  crane  from  the 
north  part  of  Ireland,  that  has  been  driven 
here  and  there  by  winds  and  it  will  lie  down 
on  the  strand  tired  and  worn  out.  And  bring 
it  into  some  neighbouring  house'  he  said 
'where  it  will  get  a  welcome,  and  where  you 
can  be  minding  it  and  feeding  it  for  three 
j   days  and  three  nights.  And  when  it  is  re- 

29 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

freshed'  he  said  *with  the  three  days'  rest  and 
has  no  mind  to  stay  longer  with  us  it  will  fly 
back  to  the  pleasant  part  of  Ireland  it  came  J 
from.  And  I  give  this  bird  to  your  special 
care'  he  said  'because  it  is  from  our  own 
country  it  comes.'  And  the  brother  did  as  he 
bade  him  and  tended  the  crane.  And  at  the 
end  of  the  third  day  the  crane  rose  to  a  great 
height  in  the  air  and  stopped  for  alittle  while  j , 
marking  out  its  path  to  its  home.  And  then 
it  went  back  across  the  sea  to  Ireland  as 
straight  as  it  could  fly  on  a  calm  day.  For 
Ireland  was  never  out  of  Columcille's  mind 
and  it  is  what  he  used  to  say  *The  Gael  are 
more  to  me  than  all  the  rest  of  the  men  of  the 
world.' 

IRELAND  WAS  Columcille  made  this 
MORE  TO  HIM  hymn  one  time,  praising 
THAN  ANY  Ireland: 

OTHER  PLACE  qt  would  be  delightful 
Son  of  my  God,  to  travel  over  the  waves  of 
the  rising  flood;  over  LochNeach, over  Loch 
Febhail,  beyond  Beinn  Eigne,  the  place  we 
used  to  hear  fitting  music  from  the  swans. 
The  host  of  the  gulls  would  make  a  wel- 
come  with  their  sleepy  music  if  my  currach 
the  Red  Dewy  One  should  come  to  the  har- 
bour of  joyous  anger. 

30 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

'Ihavemy  fill  of  riches  if  Ithoughtitenough, 
wanting  Ireland, in  thestrangecountry  where 
I  have  chanced  and  I  tired.  It  is  a  pity  the 
journey  that  was  put  upon  me  O  King  of 
mysteries ! 

*It  is  happy  the  son  of  Dima  is,  he  of  the 
faithful  church,  when  he  is  listening  in 
Durrow  to  the  desire  of  his  mind;  the  sound 
of  the  wind  against  the  elms;  the  laughter 
of  the  blackbird  clapping  his  wings;  to  listen 
at  break  of  day  to  the  lowing  of  the  cattle  in 
Rigrencha,  to  listen  at  the  brink  of  summer 
to  the  cry  of  the  cuckoo  from  the  tree. 
'There  are  three  things  dearest  to  me  on  the 
wholeof  this  peopled  world,  Doire  and  Doire- 
Ethne  and  Doire  the  high  country  of  angels. 
My  visit  to  Comgall,  my  feast  with  Cainnech, 
it  is  they  were  honey  sweet  to  me.  I  have 
loved  Ireland  of  the  waters,  all  that  is  in  it 
but  its  government.' 

THE  POOR  MAN  TherecametoColum- 
AND  THE  STAKE  cille  one  time  a  poor 
man  of  Scotland  that  was  in  great  misery  and 
had  no  way  of  living.  And  when  Columcille 
had  given  him  all  he  had  to  give  of  alms  he 
said  to  him  *Gonow  into  that  wood  beyond 
and  bring  me  a  branch  from  it.'  The  poor 
man  did  as  he  bade  him  and  brought  the 

31 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

branch  and  Columcille  took  it  and  made  a 
sharp  point  on  it  and  he  gave  it  back  to  the 
poor  man  and  he  said  'Take  good  care  of  the 
stake  and  so  long  as  you  have  it  you  will 
never  be  without  plenty  of  venison  in  the 
house.  But  it  will  not  harm  men  or  cattle' 
he  said  *but  only  wild  creatures,  beasts  and 
fishes/  The  poor  man  was  well  pleased  when 
he  heard  that,  and  as  he  went  home  he  fixed 
the  stake  in  a  lonely  place  where  the  wild 
creatures  of  the  wood  used  to  be  going.  And 
at  the  early  light  of  the  morrow  he  went  to 
look  at  the  stake  and  it  is  the  way  it  was,  a 
very  large  stag  had  fallen  upon  it  and  it  had 
gone  through  him.  And  from  that  out  not  a 
day  would  pass  but  he  would  find  a  stag  or  a 
doe  or  some  other  wild  creature  fixed  upon 
the  stake  the  way  his  house  was  full  of  meat, 
and  all  that  himself  and  his  wife  and  his 
children  could  not  use  he  vVould  sell  it  to  the 
neighbours.  But  after  a  while  his  wife  said 
to  him  'Takeout  thatstake  out  of  the  ground, 
for  if  men  or  cattle  should  chance  to  fill  upon 
it,yourself  and  myself  and  our  children  would 
be  put  to  death  or  we  would  be  led  into 
bondage.'  And  it  is  not  as  a  wise  woman  she 
spoke  that  time  but  as  a  woman  that  had  lost 
her  sense.  'That  is  a  thing  will  not  happen' 

32 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

said  the  husband  'for  when    the  holy  man 
blessed  the  stake  he  said  it  would  never  harm 
men  or  cattle.'  But  for  all  that  he  did  as  his 
wife  bade  him  and  in  his  folly  he  took  the 
stake  out  of  the  ground  and  put  it  against 
the  wall.  And  not  long  after  that,  his  house 
dog  fell  upon  it  and  was  killed.  And  his  wife 
said  to  him  then  'One  of  the  children  will 
be  the  next  to  fall  upon  it  and  to  be  killed.' 
So  when  she  said  that  he  took  the  stake  out 
the  house,  and  brought  it  to  a  very  large 
wood  and  put  it  in  the  thickest  of  the  scrub 
where  as  bethought  nobeast  could beharmed 
by  it.  But  when  he  came  back  next  day  what 
he  saw  was  a  deer  that  had  fallen  upon  it  and  got 
its  death.  So  he  brought  it  away  from  there 
and  thrust  it  in  under  the  water  by  the  edge 
of  a  river;  and  the  next  day  he  found  on  it 
a  salmon  so  big  that  it  is  hardly  he  was  able 
to  lift  it  out  of  the  river  to  bring  it  home. 
And  that  time  he  brought  the  stake  up  from 
the  river  and  put  it  outside  on  the  roof  of 
his  house.  But  it  was  not  long  till  a  crow  got 
its  death  by  it,  where  it  was  coming  to  pitch 
on  the  house.  And  upon  that  the  foolish  man 
giving  in  to  the  advice  of  his  wife  took  down 
the  stake  from  the  roof  and  took  an  axe  and 
cut  it  in  a  great  many  pieces  and  threw  it  in 

33  F 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

the  fire.  And  after  doing  that,  he  that  had 
been  rich  fell  into  poverty  again  and  it  is  well 
he  had  earned  it.  And  all  he  had  to  do,  and 
his  wife  and  his  children  for  the  rest  of  their 
lives,  was  to  fret  after  the  stake  the  blessed 
man  had  given  him,  and  that  he  himself  had 
done  away  with. 

THE  NETTLE  One  time  he  was  making 
BROTH  his  rounds  in  Hii  and  he 

saw  an  old  woman  and  she  cutting  nettles 
to  boil  down  for  food.  *What  is  the  cause  of 
thatmisery ?'  said  Columcille.  'O  dear  father' 
she  said  T  have  one  cow  only  and  she  is  in 
calf,  and  this  is  what  serves  through  the  time 
of  waiting.'  When  Columcille  heard  that,  he 
made  his  mind  up  he  would  use  no  other 
thing  than  broth  of  nettles  so  long  as  his  life 
would  last.  'For  if  it  is  waiting  for  the  one 
cow  this  woman  is,  in  this  great  hunger' he 
said  'it  would  be  more  fitting  for  us  to  be  in 
hunger;  foritisabetter  thing  we  ourselves  are 
waiting  for,  the  everlasting  kingdom.'  And  j 
he  said  to  his  cook  'Bring  me  broth  of  nettles  || 
every  night  and  bring  no  milk  with  it.'  T 
will  do  that'  said  the  cook.  But  it  is  what  the 
cook  did,  he  bored  a  hole  through  the  stick 
he  stirred  the  broth  with,  till  it  was  like  a 
pipe,  &  he  used  to  pour  the  juice  of  meat 

34 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

down  through  the  pipe  so  that  it  was  mixed 
with  the  broth.  And  that  kept  a  good  ap- 
pearance on  Columcille,  and  the  brothers  saw 
by  his  looks  he  was  well  nourished  and  they 
were  talking  about  it  among  themselves.  And 
when  Columcille  knew  that  he  said  'That 
those  that  come  after  you  may  be  always 
grumbling.  And  what  is  it  you  are  giving 
me?'  he  said  to  the  cook.   *You  know  well 
yourselPsaidthe  cook  'that  if  itdoesnot  come 
through  the  iron  of  the  pot  or  through  the 
stick  the  broth  is  mixed  with,  1  know  of  no 
other  thing  in  it  but  only  nettles.'    'That 
there  may  be  good  luck  and  a  good  appear- 
ance to  those  that  come  after  vou  for  ever' 
said  Columcille.  And  it  is  likely  he  took  but 
nettles  only  after  that,  for  he  lost  flesh  till 
the  track  of  his  ribs  used  to  be  seen  on  the 
strand  when  he  used  to  lie  out  there  through 
the  night  time. 

THE  CRANES  OF  Columcille  went  back 
DRUIM  CETA  one  time  to  Ireland  to 

the  great  gathering  of  DruimCeta  to  bless  the 
people,  and  to  get  leave  for  the  troops  of  the 
poets  that  were  being  driven  out  for  their 
burdensomeness,  to  stop  in  Ireland.  For  it  is 
what  he  said,  that  the  rewards  they  got  were 
not  lasting  but  their  praises  would  last  for 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

ever.  Then  Aedh  King  of  Ireland  gave  leave 
for  them  to  stop,  but  there  was  anger  on  him 
and  on  Conall  his  son,  Columcille  to  have 
come  to  the  gathering.  And  Conall  stirred  up 
the  rabble  of  the  gathering  against  Colum- 
cille's  people  that  they  made  an  attack  on 
them  and  took  some  and  wounded  others.  And 
when  Columcille  knew  that,  he  put  a  curse 
on  Conall  and  rang  three  times  nine  bells 
against  him  and  took  the  kingshipfrom  him, 
and  his  reason  &  his  wits.  And  when  the 
Queen  heard  that,  andshe  washing  her  flower- 
face  at  the  time,  she  said  to  her  serving  maid 
'Go  to  Aedh  and  say  to  him  that  if  he  shows 
respect  to  this  crane-clerk  I  will  not  be  peace- 
able towards  himself.'  And  when  Columcille 
was  told  that,  it  is  what  he  said,  that  the 
Queen  and  her  serving  maid  should  be  put 
into  the  shape  of  cranes  of  Druim  Ceta  from 
that  day  to  the  day  of  judgment,  and  she 
having  one  of  her  wings  broken  and  but  half 
a  tail.  And  so  it  happened,  and  if  they  are  not 
in  it  yet  they  were  long  enough  in  it,  the  two 
old  cranes  of  Druim  Ceta. 
HIS  STRANGE  One  time  Columcille  was 
VISITOR  at  Carn  Eolairg  on  Loch 

Febhailandtherecame  a  beautifulyoung  man 
to  him  having  a  golden  shoe  upon  his  foot, 

36 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 


and  whateverfoot  he  would  put  down  it  is  on 
it  the  shoe  used  to  be.  *Where  do  you  come 
from  young  man?'  said  Columcille.  'I  am 
Mongan  son  of  Fiachra'  said  the  young  man 
^and  I  am  come  from  countries  unknown 
and  countries  known.  And  I  am  come'  he 
said  *to  compare  my  knowledge  and  wisdom 
with  your  own,  and  to  know  from  you  the 
place  where  knowledge  &  ignorance  were 
born,  the  place  where  they  die  and  the  place 
of  their  burying.'  'A  question  to  you'  said 
Columcille, 'what  used  this  loch  we  arelook- 
ling  at  to  be  in  the  old  time?'  *I  know  that' 
said  the  young  man.  *It  was  yellow,  it  was 
blossoming,  it  was  green,  it  was  hilly,  it  was 
,a  place  of  drinking,  it  had  silver  in  it  and 
chariots.   I  went  through  it  when  I  was  a 
I  deer  before  deer,  when  I  was  a  salmon,  when 
jl  was  a  very  strong  seal,  when  I  was  a  wild 
I  dog.   When  I  was  a  man  I  bathed  in  it,  I 
carried  a  yellow  sail,  a  green  sail,  it  drowned 
a  red  sail  under  blood,  women  called  out  to 
me.  Though  I  do  not  know  father  or  mother 
I  speak  with  the  living  and  the  dead.'  Then 
Columcille  said  to  him  *What  is  there  be- 
neath those  islands  to  the  west  of  us?'  And  it 
is  what  the  young  man  said:  'There  are  under- 
neath them  tuneful  long-haired  men ;  there  are 

37 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 


well-shaped  people  both  men  and  women; 
there  are  cattle,  white, red-eared,  theirlo wing 
is  sweet;  thereareherds  of  deer,  there  are  good 
horses;  there  are  the  two-headed,  there  are 
the  three-headed,  in  Europe,  in  Asia,  in  an 
unknown  green  country  from  its  border  to 
its  river  mouth.'  'That  is  enough  so  far'  said 
Columcille.  And  then  he  went  apart  with  the 
young  man  to  ask  him  the  secrets  of  heaven 
and  earth.  And  they  were  talking  together 
from  one  hour  on  that  day  to  the  same  hour 
on  the  next  day,  and  Columcille's  people  were 
looking  at  them  a  long  way  off.  And  when 
the  talk  came  to  an  end  they  saw  the  young  jjli 
man  vanishing  from  them  all  of  a  minute,|cii 
and  it  is  not  known  where  he  went.  And|Sc 
when  they  asked  Columcille  to  give  them 
news  of  his  talk  it  is  what  he  said,  that  he 
could  not  tell  them  one  word  of  all  he  had 
heard;  and  he  said  it  was  aright  thing  for  men 
not  to  be  told  of  it. 

THE  BREAKING  Fergal  King  of  Ire- 

OF  COLUMCILLE'S     land  that  was  of  the! 
GUARANTEE  race  of  theUaNeills 

of  the  north  was  gathering  his  people  one 
time  to  go  against  the  men  of  Leinster.  And 
it  was  a  longtime  they  took  coming  together, 
for  it  is  what  every  man  that  was  called  in 

38 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

'  Conn'shalf  of  Ireland  used  tosay:  'If  Donnbo 
goes  with  the  army  I  will  go.'  Donnbo  now 
was  the  son  of  a  widow-woman  belonging 
to  the  men  of  Ross,  and  he  had  never  gone 
away  from  his  mother's  house  for  one  day  or 
for  one  night  only;  and  there  was  not  one  in 
all  Ireland  more  comely  or  better  in  face  and 
in  shape  thanhimself.  Fle  was  thebest  atsing- 
ing  merry  verses  and  telling  royal  stories  of  all 
in  the  whole  world;  the  best  to  ready  horses 
or  to  rivet  spears  or  to  plait  hair;  the  best  in 
quickness  of  mind  and  in  generosity.  And  his 
mother  would  not  let  him  go  out  at  the  king's 
bidding  till  she  got  the  security  of  Colum- 
cille  that  he  would  come  back  to  her  in  safety. 
So  he  went  out  with  the  king's  army,  and 
they  went  on  till  they  came  to  Almhuin  and 
;  there  they  made  tlieir  camp.  And  it  was  then 
Fergal  said  to  Donnbo  'Make  mirth  for  us 
Donnbo,  for  vou  are  the  best  of  all  the 
musicians  of  Ireland  at  pipes  and  at  harps  and 
at  poems,  and  at  the  old  stories  and  the  royal 
stories  of  Ireland;  and  on  the  morning  of  to- 
morrow' he  said  'we  will  give  battle  to  the 
men  of  Leinster.'  'Och'  said  Donnbo  'I  am 
not  able  to  make  sport  for  you  this  night  or 
to  do  any  of  those  things  that  you  say.  But 
wherever  you  may  be  on  the  night  of  to- 

39 


\i 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

morrow*  he  said  *I  will  make  amusement 
for  you  if  I  am  living.  And  let  the  king's 
buffoon  make  sport  for  you  to-night'  he  said. 
So  Ua  Maighlinne  the  king's  buffoon  was 
called  and  he  began  his  stories  of  the  battles 
and  the  triumphs  of  Leinster  from  the  de- 
struction of  Dind  Righ  down  to  that  time. 
Anditwasnot  much  sleep  they  got  that  night 
because  of  their  great  dread  of  the  men  of 
Leinster,  and  because  of  a  storm  that  arose; 
for  that  was  the  eve  of  the  feast  of  Saint  Fin- 
nain  in  the  winter.  The  battle  was  fought 
the  next  morning  &  the  men  from  the  north 
were  beaten,  and  nine  thousand  of  them  got 
theirdeath,  and  Fergal  the  king  among  them. 
And  Ua  Maighlinne  fell  into  the  hands  of 
one  of  the  men  of  Leinster,  and  he  bade  him 
give  his  buffoon's  roar,  and  he  did  that;  and 
his  head  was  cut  off  then,  but  the  roar  was 
heard  in  the  air  through  the  length  of  three 
nights  and  three  days  and  it  has  stayed  with 
the  buffoons  of  Ireland  to  this  day.  And  as 
toDonnbo,he  lost  his  life  defending  the  king, 
and  his  head  was  struck  off,  and  the  king's 
head.  Thesame  night  now  the  men  ofLeinster 
were  drinking  wine  and  making  merry,  and 
every  one  telling  the  deeds  he  had  done  in 
the  battle.  And  Murchad  son  of  the  king  oi 

40 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

Leinster  said  *I  would  give  a  good  chariot 
and  my  own  dress  to  any  man  that  would  go 
■  to  the  place  of  the  battle  and  would  bring  me 
a  token  from  it/  'I  will  go'  said  a  Munster 
man  that  was  among  them.  So  he  put  on  his 
battle  dress  and  went  on,  and  when  he  came 
to  the  place  where  king  FergaFs  body  was, 
heheard  said  as  if  in  the  air  these  words  'Here 
is  a  command  to  you  from  the  King  of  the 
Seven  Heavens;  make  music  to-night  for  your 
master  Fergal  the  king;  though  all  of  you 
have  fallen  here,  pipers  and  trumpeters  and 
harpers,  let  no  terror  or  no  weakness  keep 
you  from  making  music  for  Fergal.'  Then 
the  messenger  heard  the  music  of  singers  and 
trumpeters  and  pipers  and  harpers,  all  sorts 
of  music  he  heard,  and  he  never  heard  better 
before  or  after.  And  from  a  bunch  of  rushes 
near  him  he  heard  a  very  wildsong,  the  sweetest 
of  all  the  music  of  the  world .  He  went  towards 
the  rushes  then  and  a  voice  said  from  among 
them  'Do  not  come  near  me/  'Whoare  you?' 
saidthemessenger.  'lam  theheadof  Donnbo' 
it  said  'and  I  was  bound  in  a  bond  to  make 
amusement  for  the  king  to-night,  and  do  not 
hinder  me.'  'Where  is  Fergal's  body?'  said 
the  messenger.  'Itisshiningthere  before  you' 
said  the  head.  'Let  me  bring  you  away  along 

41  G 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

with  him'  said  the  messenger,  ^for  it  is  your- 
self I  would  sooner  bring  away/  *I  would 
not  wish  any  person  to  bring  me  away'  said 
the  head  ^unless  it  might  be  Christ  the  Son 
of  God.  And  give  me  the  guarantee  of  Christ 
now  that  you  will  bring  me  back  to  my  body 
again.'  'I  will  bring  you  surely' said  the  mes- 
senger. Then  he  went  back  to  where  the  men 
of  Leinster  were  drinking  yet.  'Have  you  a 
token  with  you?'  said  Murchad.  *I  have'  said 
he  'the  head  of  Donnbo.'  *Set  it  up  on  that 
post'  said  Murchad.  Then  they  all  knew  it 
to  be  the  head  of  Donnbo,  and  it  is  what 
they  all  said:  'It  is  a  pity  for  you  Donnbo,  it 
is  comely  your  face  was!  And  make  amuse- 
ment for  us  to-night,'  they  said  'the  same  as 
you  did  yesterday  for  your  lord.'  Then  he 
turned  his  face  to  the  wall  of  the  house  the 
way  it  wouldbe  darker  for  him,  and  he  raised 
his  wild  song,  and  it  was  the  sweetest  of  all 
the  music  on  the  whole  ridge  of  the  world. 
And  all  the  men  of  Leinster  were  crying  and 
lamenting,  with  the  sorrow  and  the  softness 
of  that  song. 

THE  VOYAGE  One  time  Snedgus  and 
OF  SNEDGUS  Mac  Riaghta,  clerks  that 
were  of  the  people  of  Columcille,  got  into 
their  currach  of  their  own  will,  and  went  out 

42 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

over  the  sea  on  a  pilgrimage,  and  they 
turned  righthandways  and  the  wind  brought 
them  north-westward  into  the  outer  ocean. 
And  at  the  end  of  three  days  a  great  longing 
and  a  great  thirst  came  upon  them  that  they 
could  not  bear;  and  it  was  then  Christ  took 
pity  on  them  and  brought  them  to  an  island 
where  there  was  a  stream  that  had  the  taste 
of  new  milk,  and  they  were  satisfied  with 
it.  They  gave  thanks  to  God  then  and 
they  said  'Let  us  leave  our  voyage  to  God, 
and  let  us  put  the  oars  in  the  boat.'  And 
from  that  out  they  let  the  rudder  alone  and 
they  put  their  oars  in  the  boat.  Then  they 
were  brought  to  another  island  having  a 
silver  paling  over  the  middle  of  it,  and  a  fish 
weir ;  and  it  is  a  plank  of  silver  that  weir 
was,  and  there  were  big  salmon,  every  one 
the  size  of  a  bull-calf,  leaping  against  the 
weir,  and  they  were  satisfied  with  them. 
After  that  they  went  to  another  island  and  in 
that  island  they  found  fighting-men  having 
heads  of  cats  on  them.  And  there  was  one 
man  of  the  Gael  among  them,  and  he  came 
down  to  the  strand  and  bade  them  welcome 
and  he  said  'A  boat's  crew  of  us  came  here, 
and  there  is  not  one  left  of  it  now  but  my- 
self, for  the  rest  of  us  were  made  an  end  of 

43 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

by  the    strangers    of  this  island/  He   put 
provision  into  the  boat  for  them  then,  and 
they  left  a  blessing  and  took  a  blessing  with 
them.  After  that  the  wind  brought  them  to 
an  island  where  there  was  a  great  tree,  and 
beautiful  birds  in  it;  and  on  the  top  of  the 
tree  was  a  bird  having  a  head  of  gold  and 
wings  of  silver;  and  it  told  them  stories  of 
the  beginning  of  the  world  6c  it  told  them 
of  the  birth  of  Christ  from   Mary  Virgin, 
and  of  his  baptism  and  his  passion  and  his 
rising  again;  and  it  told  news  of  the  judg- 
ment. And  then  all  the  birds  beat  their  sides 
with  their  wings  till  blood  dropped  from 
them,  with  thedreadof  thesigns  of  the  judg- 
ment, and  it  is  avery  precious  thing  that  blood 
was.  And  the  bird  gave  to  the  clerks  a  leaf 
of  the  leaves  of  that  tree,  and  it  is  the  size  of 
the  hideof  agreatoxthatleaf  was  and  neither 
leaf  nor  stem  of  that  tree  withers.    And  he 
bade  them  to  put  that  leaf  on  Columcille's 
altar,  and  it  is  to  Kells  it  was  brought  after- 
wards. It  is  sweet  the  music  of  those  birds 
was,  singing  psalms  &  praising  the  Lord,  for 
they  were  the  birds  of  the  plain  of  Heaven. 
Then  they  bade  farewell  to  the  birds,  and 
they  went  on  to  a  very  fearful  country  where 
there  were  men  having  heads  of  dogs  and 

44 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

manes  of  cattle.  And  by  order  of  God  a  clerk 
came  to  them  out  of  the  island  to  relieve 
them,  for  they  were  in  a  bad  way  for  the 
want  of  food;  and  he  gave  them  fish  and 
wine  and  wheat.  Then  they  went  on  till  they 
came  to  a  country  where  there  were  men 
having  heads  of  pigs;  and  there  were  a  great 
many  reapers  reaping  the  corn  in  the  middle 
of  the  summer.  And  from  that  they  went  on 
in  their  boat,  and  sang  their  psalms  and 
prayed  to  God,  till  they  came  to  a  country 
where  there  were  people  of  the  Gael;  and 
the  women  of  that  island  sang  a  strain  to  the 
clerks  and  it  is  sweet  they  thought  it.  And 
one  of  them  said  'Sing  on,  for  this  is  the 
music  of  Ireland.'  'Let  us  go  to  the  house  of 
the  King  of  the  island'  said  the  women  to 
them  then,  'and  you  will  get  a  welcome  and 
good  treatment.'  So  they  went  into  the  house, 
and  the  King  gave  a  welcome  to  the  clerks, 
and  they  rested  themselves  there  and  he 
asked  them  what  was  their  race.  'We  are  of 
the  men  of  Ireland'  they  said  'and  of  the 
people  of  Columcille.'  'What  way  is  Ireland 
now?'  said  the  King  'and  how  many  of  the 
sons  of  Domnall  are  living  yet?'  'There  are 
three  sons  of  Domnall  living,  and  Fiachna 
son  of  Domnall  fell  by  the  men  of  Ross  and 

45 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

for  that  deed  two  sixties  of  them  were  put 
out  upon  the  sea.'  'It  is  true  that  story  is' 
said  the  King;  'it  is  I  myself  killed  the  son  of 
Domnall  king  of  Teamhuir  and  we  are  the 
men  were  put  out  on  the  sea.  And  it  is  well 
that  happened  for  us'  he  said  'and  it  is  here 
we  will  he  till  the  time  of  our  judgment;  and 
it  is  good  we  are  and  without  sin'  he  said 
'and  it  is  good  the  island  is  where  we  are; 
for  there  are  in  it  Eili  and  Enoch,  and  it  is 
noble  is  the  house  where  Eili  is.'  'We  would 
like  well  to  see  Enoch'  said  the  clerks.  'He 
is  in  a  hidden  place  till  we  all  go  to  battle  on 
the  day  of  judgment'  said  he.  And  there  was 
another  thing  he  said  to  them  :  *There  are 
two  lakes  in  this  country,  a  lake  of  water  and 
a  lake  of  fire;  and  they  would  have  gone  over 
Ireland  long  ago  without  Martin  and  Patrick 
praying  for  the  Gael.'  Then  they  went  on 
from  that  country  and  they  were  intheshout- 
ing  of  the  waves  for  a  long  time  till  great 
relief  came  to  them  from  God,  for  it  is  tired 
out  they  were.  And  they  saw  a  great  high 
island  and  everythingthat  was  in  it wasbeau- 
tiful  and  holy.  It  is  good  the  king  was  that 
lived  in  that  island,  and  holy  and  just,  and 
it  is  great  his  army  was  and  it  is  noble  his 
dwelling  place  was,  for  there  were  a  hundred 

46 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

loors  in  that  house  and  an  altar  at  every  door 
indadear  man  at  every  altar  offering  the  body 
dF  Christ.  And  the  two  clerks  went  into  the 
house  and  each  of  them  blessed  the  other  and 
ifter  that  the  whole  host,  women  and  men, 
went  to  communion  at  the  Mass.  Then  wine 
was  given  out  to  them  and  the  king  said  'Tell 
the  men  of  Ireland  that  a  great  vengeance  is 
going  to  fall  upon  them  across  the  sea  and 
y^our  enemies  will  make  war  on  you  and  will 
live  in  the  half  of  the  island.  And  it  is  what 
brings  this  vengeance  upon  them'  he  said  'the 
great  neglect  they  show  to  the  testament  of 
God  and  to  his  teaching.  And  for  a  month 
and  a  year'  he  said  'you  willbeonthesea,  but 
you  will  land  safely  at  the  last,  and  then  let 
you  tell  out  all  your  news  to  the  people  of 
Ireland.' 

A  HYMN  COLUM-  Columcille  made 

CILLE  MADE  AND  HE  this  hymn  the 
GOING  A  JOURNEY  time  the  King  of 
Teamhuir  had  given  an  order  to  take  him, 
andthe  justiceof  God  threwa  mistabouthim 
the  way  he  would  not  be  known  as  he  went 
out.  And  it  is  a  protection  to  anyone  that 
will  say  it,  and  he  going  on  his  way. 
'Itisalone  I  am  on  themountain,0 King-sun 
of  the  lucky  road,  there  is  nothing  for  me  to 

47 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

bein  dread  of.  If  I  had  threescorehundredsof 
armies  that  woulddefend  the  body,  when  the 
day  of  my  death  comes  there  is  no  strong  place 
will  hold  out  against  it. 
*Hethatisspentmayget  his  death  in  a  church 
or  in  the  island  in  the  middle  of  the  lake;  he 
that  has  luck  with  him,  his  life  will  be  safe 
in  the  front  of  a  battle. 
'Thereisno  onecouldputanend  tomethough 
he  should  chance  upon  me  in  danger;  there  is 
no  one  could  protect  me  the  day  my  life  will 
come  to  its  end. 

'My  life,  I  leave  it  to  the  will  of  God.  There 
will  be  nothing  wanting  to  it;  there  will  be 
nothing  added  to  it. 

*He  that  is  in  health  falls  into  sickness;  he ' 
that  isout  of  his  health  growssound  again;  he 
that  is  in  misery  gets  right  again;  he  that  is 
in  good  order  falls  into  misery.  Whatever  God 
has  settled  for  any  person,  he  will  not  leave 
the  world  until  he  meets  it;  although  a  high 
head  goes  looking  for  more,  he  will  not  get 
the  size  of  a  grain  of  it. 

'A  man  may  bring  a  guard  with  him  on  his 
road;  but  what  guard  has  ever  kept  a  man 
from  his  death? 

'An  herb  is  cut  for  the  cattle,  and  they  after 
coming  from  the  mountain.    What  is  the 

48 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

owner  of  thecattledoingthat  he  does  not  cut 

the  herb  for  himself? 

'There  is  no  son  of  a  man  knows  for  whom 

he  is  making  a  gathering;  if  it  is  for  himself 

or  for  some  other  one. 

'Leave  out  scarceness  for  a  while;  it  is  better 

for  you  to  mindhospitality.  The  Son  of  Mary 

will  prosper  you  when  every  guest  comes  to 

his  share. 

'It  is  often  tlie  thing  that  is  spent  comes  back 

again,  and  the  thing  that  is  kept,  though  it 

is  not  spent  it  vanishes  away. 

'O  living  God!  It  is  a  pity  for  him  that  does 

any  bad  thing!   The  thing  that  is  not  seen 

comes  to  him;  the  thing  that  he  sees  goes 

away  out  of  his  hand. 

'It  is  not  with  chance  our  life  is;  or  with  the 

bird  on  the  top  of  the  twig;  or  with  the  trunk 

of  a  crooked  tree.  It  is  better  to  put  our  trust 

in  the  Father,  the  One,  and  the  Son. 

'Theshare  every  evening  in  the  house  of  God, 

it  is  what  my  king  has  made.  He  is  the  king 

that  made  the  body;  he  will  not  let  me  go 

wanting  to-night. 

'I  do  not  hold  to  the  voice  of  birds,  or  any 

luck  on  the  earthly  world,  or  chance  or  a  son 

or  a  woman.  Christ  the  Son  of  God  is  my 

Druid;  Christ  the  Son  of  Mary,  the  great 

49  H 


BOOK  TWO  :   COLUMCILLE,  THE 

Abbot;  the  Father  the  Son  and  the  Holy 
Spirit.  My  estates  are  with  theKingofKings; 
my  order  is  at  Cenacles  and  Moen/ 
THE  LADDER     Onetime Columcille went 
OF  GLASS  to  Monaster  Boite  and  it 

is  there  his  staff  struck  against  the  ladder  of 
glass  by  which  Boite  had  gone  up  to  heaven; 
and  he  showed  where  his  grave  was  and 
marked  out  his  church.  Three  hundred 
churches  he  marked  out  &  he  wrote  three 
hundred  books.  And  among  the  churches  he 
left  there  were  a  hundred  that  had  the  waves 
for  a  neighbour. 

COLUMCILLE  And  at  last  one  day 

KEEPS  THE  FEAST     in    the    month    of 
OF  PENTECOST  May,      Columcille 

went  on  a  cart  to  see  the  brothers  that  were 
ploughing  in  the  north  of  the  island  of  Hii; 
and  he  was  comforting  them  and  teacliing 
them.  *  Weir  he  said  *at  the  Easter  that  went 
into  the  month  of  April  I  was  ready  to  go  to 
Heaven,  but  I  had  no  mind  you  to  have  sorrow 
or  trouble  after  your  heavy  work,  and  so  I 
have  stayed  with  you  from  Easter  to  Pente- 
cost.' When  his  people  heard  those  words 
they  were  very  downhearted;  and  Colum- 
cille turned  his  face  westward  and  blessed  the 
island,  and  drove  away  from  it  every  bad 

50 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

thing.  And  then  he  came  to  his  cell,  and  it 
was  not  long  till  there  came  the  end  of  the 
Sabbath  and  the  beginning  of  Sunday.  And 
when  he  lifted  his  eyeshe  saw  a  great  bright- 
ness, and  an  angel  of  God  waiting  there  above 
him.  And  after  that  he  went  out,  and  his 
servant  Diarmuid,  whose  life  he  had  length- 
ened with  his  prayers  one  time  he  was  sick, 
with  him;  and  he  blessed  the  barn  and  two 
heaps  of  winnowed  wheat  that  were  in  it. 
And  then  he  told  Diarmuid  he  had  a  little 
secret  word  to  tell  him,  that  on  this  very 
night  of  the  Sabbath  of  rest  he  would  go  to 
his  own  rest,  on  the  invitation  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  And  he  sat  down  on  the  edge  of  the 
path,  for  all  the  length  of  his  years  came 
upon  him.  And  there  came  to  him  the  old 
spent  white  horse  that  used  to  be  carrying 
the  milk  vessels  from  the  cowshed  in  the 
island  to  the  brothers,  and  it  cried  tears  into 
his  breast  till  his  clothes  were  wet.  And 
Diarmuid  his  servant  would  have  driven  the 
old  horse  away,  but  Columcille  said  *Leave 
him  Diarmuid  till  he  cries  his  fill,  keening 
me.  For  you  are  a  man  having  reason' he  said 
'and  you  know  nothing  of  the  time  of  my 
death  but  what  I  myself  have  told  you.  But 
as  to  this  beast  that  is  without  reason,  God 

51 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

himself  has  made  known  to  it  in  some  way 
that  its  master  is  going  to  leave  it.  And  he 
gave  his  blessing  to  the  horse  then,  and  it 
went  away  very  sorrowful.  And  on  the  night 
of  the  Sunday  of  Pentecost,  Columcille  was 
the  first  inthechurch  andhekneltandprayed. 
And  the  brothers  came  in  with  their  candles, 
but  the  whole  church  was  full  of  light,  and 
Columcille  opened  his  eyes  wide  and  looked 
about  him  on  every  side  with  a  great  blush 
in  his  face,  and  they  knew  he  was  looking  at 
the  angels.  And  the  light  of  the  angels  filled 
the  church  on  every  side,  and  he  blessed  the 
brothers,  and  the  life  went  from  his  body, 
and  there  was  a  welcome  before  him  in  the 
household  of  heaven.  But  there  are  some 
that  say  he  was  not  old  when  he  died  but 
young,  because  he  had  made  requests  of  Axal 
the  angel  one  time,  and  one  of  the  requests 
was  that  he  might  die  in  his  youth.  'For  in 
old  age'  he  said  'the  body  is  ugly.'  And  the 
angel  granted  him  that  and  many  other 
things. 

HOW  THE  NEWS  WAS  It  was  at  the 
BROUGHT  TO  IRELAND  hour  of  his 
death  the  fishermen  that  were  out  trying 
for  fish  in  the  deep  holes  of  the  river  Finn, 
saw  a  great  light  to  the  east  that  lighted  up 

5^ 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

the  whole  of  the  sky.  And  at  Rosnaree  the 

light  of  the  angels  was  seen,  and  their  hymns 

were  heard  in  the  high  air.  And  at  the  same 

time  the  poets  of  Ireland  were  gathered  at 

the  yew  tree  at  the  head  of  Baile's  Strand  in 

I  Ulster,  and   they  were  making  up  stories 

there  of  themselves.  And   the  things  that 

,  happened  did  not  happen  the  way  they  told 

I  them,  hut  it  was  to  put  them  on  the  rough 

.  race,  the  men  of  Ulster,  the  poets  made  up 

those  lying  tales.  Forgaill  now  that  was  a 

man  of  Connacht  and  of  high  race,  was  the 

I  chiefof  all  those  poets;  andnewswasbrought 

to  him  by  an  angel  riding  a  speckled  horse, 

that  Columcille  was  dead. 

FORGAILL'S     This  now  is  the  poem  of 

LAMENT  praise  &of  lamentation  that 

;  was  made  for  Columcille,  Speckled  Salmon 

of  the  Boinne,  High  Saint  of  the  Gael,  by 

Forgaill  that  was  afterwards  called   Blind 

;  Forgaill,  Chief  Poet  of  Ireland: 

'  Tt  is  not  a  little  story  this  is ;  it  is  not  a  story 

about  a  fool  it  is ;  it  is  not  one  district  that  is 

:  keening  but  everydistrict,witha  great  sound 

'  that  is  not  to  be  borne,  hearing  the  story  of 

'  Columcille,  without  life,  without  a  church. 

;  '  It   is   not   the   trouble   of  one   house,  or 

the  grief  of  one  harpstring;  all  the  plains 

53 


BOOK  TWO:  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

are  heavy,  hearing  the  word  that  is  a 
wound. 

*What  way  will  a  simple  man  tell  of  him? 
Even  Nera  from  the  Sidhe  could  not  do  it; 
he  is  not  made  much  of  now;  our  learned 
one  is  not  the  light  of  our  life  now  he  is  hid- 
den away  from  us. 

*He  that  used  to  keep  us  living  is  dead;  he 
that  was  our  rightful  head  has  died  from  us; 
he  has  died  from  us,  that  was  God's  messen- 


ger. 


*The  knowledgeable  man  that  used  to  put 
fear  from  us  is  not  here;  the  teller  of  words 
does  not  return  to  us;  the  teacher  is  gone 
from  us  that  taught  silence  to  the  people. 
*The  whole  world  was  his;  it  is  a  harp  with- 
outits  strings;  it  isa  church withoutitsabbot. 
*Colum  rose  very  high  the  time  God's  com- 
panies rose  to  meet  him;  it  is  bright  the 
angels  were,  attending  on  him. 
'It  is  short  his  life  was,  it  is  little  used  tosatisfy 
him  ;  when  the  wind  blew  the  sheet  against 
him  on  the  sand,  the  shape  of  his  ribs  could 
be  seen  through  it. 

'He  was  the  head  of  every  gathering;  he 
was  a  dun  of  the  book  of  the  law;  he  put 
a  flame  in  the  district  of  the  north,  he  light- 
ened the  district  of  the  west;  the  east  was  his 

54 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

along  with  it;  he  did  not  open  his  heart  to 
j every  company.  Good  his  death;  he  went 
with  God's  angels  that  came  to  meet  him. 
*He  has  reached  to  Axal  of  his  help  and  to 
the  troops  of  the  archangels;  he  has  reached 
to  a  place  where  night  is  not  seen ;  he  has 
reached  to  a  plain  where  music  has  not  to 
be  born;  where  no  one  listens  to  oppression. 
The  King  of  priests  has  done  away  with  his 
troubles. 

'He  knew  the  way  he  was  going;  he  gave 
kindness  for  hatred;  he  learned  psalms;  he 
broke  the  battle  against  hunger. 
'He  knew  seasons  and  storms;  he  read  the 
secrets  of  the  great  wisdom;  he  knew  the 
course  of  themoon;  he  took  notice  of  its  race 
with  the  branching  sun.  He  was  skilful  in  the 
course  of  the  sea;  to  tell  every  high  thing  we 
have  heard  from  Colum,  would  be  to  count 
the  stars  of  heaven. 

*A  healer  of  the  heart  of  the  wise;  a  full  satis- 
fier  of  guests;  our  crowned  one  who  spoke 
with  Axal;  a  shelter  to  the  naked;  a  com- 
forter tothepoor;  he  waseager,he  wasnoble, 
it  is  high  his  death  was.  We  hope  great  hon- 
our will  be  given  to  him  on  the  head  of  these 
deeds.' 
And  when  Forgaill  had  made  that  lament  he 

55 


BOOK  TWO  :  COLUMCILLE,  THE 

said:  'It  is  a  great  shaping  and  a  great  finish 
I  have  given  to  these  words,  and  I  cannot 
make  a  praise  beyond  this,  for  my  eyes  have 
been  taken  from  me.* 

It  was  AedhKing  of  Irelandgave  seven cum- 
hals  for  his  name  to  be  given  in  the  praising 
of  Columcille;  andAedh  laid  it  down  to  For- 
gaill  that  this  song  should  be  above  every 
other  song.  But  it  was  after  death  tlie  reward 
and  the  praise  were  given  to  blind  Forgaill; 
for  it  was  Heaven  that  was  given  to  him,  as 
the  price  of  the  praising  of  the  King. 
COLUMCILLE'S         It  is  an  old  saying  in 
BURYING  PLACE      Ireland thatif  Colum- 
cille died  in  Hii,  his  soul  is  in  Doire  and  his 
body  under  a  flagstone  in  Ardmacha  beside 
Brigit  and  Patrick.  But  one  time  when  some 
person  that  was  looking  at  the  church  in  Hii 
told  that  saying,  the  people  of  theisland  were 
very  angry,  and  said  the  Irish  were  impudent 
liars  to  say  such  a  thing,  and  that  Saint  Colum- 
cille had  been  buried  in  their  island,  and 
none  had  ever  come  to  bring  him  away,  and 
'  if  they  had  they  would  not  have  got  him. 
But  it  is  what  the  people  of  Ireland  say  to 
this  day,  that  when  he  was  dyinghe  bade  the 
brothers  to  put  his  body  in  a  currach  and  to 
cut  directionsonastickandto  putthecurrach 

S6 


FRIEND  OF  THE  ANGELS  OF  GOD 

out  to  sea.  So  they  did  that  and  the  currach 
floated  to  the  north  of  Ireland,  but  not  one 
knew  of  it  being  there.  And  therewere  a  few 
cows  that  had  pasture  near  the  sea,  and  one 
of  them  used  to  be  going  down  to  the  shore 
every  day,  and  to  be  hcking  a  brown  stick 
that  was  lying  there.  And  the  boy  that  was 
minding  them  took  notice  that  the  milk  that 
cow  gave  was  three  times  more  than  the  milk 
of  every  other  cow,  and  he  wondered  to  see 
the  cow  that  was  the  scarcest  of  all  giving 
milk  and  butter  like  that,  and  it  eating  noth- 
ing, but  only  licking  a  bit  of  a  stick.  So  they 
went  and  looked  at  the  stick,  and  they  read 
on  it  that  Saint  Columcille's  body  was  in  the 
currach  and  theyfoundit  there  ;  but  whether 
it  was  only  his  bones  they  found,  or  whether 
he  was  embalmed,  being  such  a  great  man, 
is  not  known.  And  the  writing  on  the  stick 
saidhewastobeburiedinArdmacha,between 
Saint  Patrick  and  Saint  Brigit.  And  they  did 
not  know  where  those  graves  were,  but  they 
brought  the  body  to  Ardmacha,  and  the 
ground  opened  of  itself,  and  they  knew  it  was 
to  let  him  rest  between  those  two  it  opened. 
COLUMCILLE'S  Bran,  now,  the  hound 
VALLEY  of  Finn  son  of  Cum- 

hail,  stopped  one  time  at  the  hunting,  and 

57  I 


BOOK  TWO 

would  not  follow  a  deer  through  a  certain 
valley.  And  it  was  always  said,  she  knew 
that  to  be  a  valley  Columcille  would  bless 
in  the  time  to  come.  And  the  people  of 
SlieveEchtgesay  there  will  be  a  great  war  yet 
in  the  whole  world  and  in  Ireland,  and  the 
want  will  be  so  great  that  the  father  will 
disown  his  son  and  will  not  let  him  in  at  the 
door.  And  there  will  be  great  fighting  on 
Slieve-nan-Or,the  Golden  Mountain, and  in 
the  Valley  of  the  Black  Pig.  And  when  the 
war  comes  as  far  as  the  blessed  bush  at  Kil- 
chriest,a  priest  will  put  on  his  stole,  and  will 
read  from  his  book,  and  lift  a  chalice  three 
times,  and  that  will  weaken  it  for  a  while. 
But  the  fighting  will  never  reach  to  the 
Valley  of  Columcille  ;  and  it  will  be  well  for 
all  the  people  that  will  be  in  that  valley  at 
the  time  of  the  last  great  war. 


i 


S8 


BOOK  THREE: 

BLESSED  PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

THE    FOUR  There  were  many  great 

HOUSEHOLDS  saints  among  the  Gael, 
but  Patrick  was  the  bush  among  them 
all.  It  was  beyond  the  sea  he  was  born,  and 
his  mother  was  a  sister  of  Saint  Martin  of 
Tours;  and  he  dreamed  in  Rome,  and  walked 
all  Ireland  barefoot.  It  was  in  his  young 
youth  hewas  brought  from  France  tolreland 
as  a  slave,  and  he  was  set  to  serve  four  house- 
holds, and  he  did  his  work  so  well  that  every 
one  of  the  households  thought  him  to  be 
servant  to  itself  alone;  and  it  was  by  an  angel 
the  ashes  used  to  be  cleared  away  from  the 
hearth  for  him. 

HE  GETS  HIS  He  was  sent  out  after  a 
FREEDOM  while  minding  swine  &  he 

went  through  great  hardships;  but  Victor 
the  angel  used  to  come  to  visit  him  and  to 
teach  him  the  order  of  prayer.  And  he  had  no 
way  to  buy  his  freedom,  but  one  time  a  wild 
boar  came  rooting  in  the  field,  and  brought 
up  a  lump  of  gold;  and  Patrick  brought  it 
to  a  tinker  and  the  tinker  said  'It  is  nothing 
but  solder,  give  it  here  to  me.'  But  then  he 
brought  it  to  a  smith,  and  the  smith  told  him 
it  was  gold,  and  with  that  gold  he  bought 
his  freedom.  And  from  that  time  the  smiths 

59 


BOOK  THREE:  BLESSED 

have  been  lucky,  taking  money  every  day  and 
never  without  work;  but  as  for  the  tinkers, 
every  man's  face  is  against  them  and  their 
face  is  against  every  man,  and  they  get  no 
ease  or  rest,but  are  everandalways  traveUing 
the  world. 

THE  MAN  AND  WO-  After  that  he  went 
MAN  THAT  WERE  out  to  sea  with 
ALWAYS  YOUNG  foreigners   and   he 

went  back  to  his  own  country,  and  his  people 
asked  him  to  stop  there  with  them.  But  he 
would  not;  for  always  in  his  sleep  he  could 
see  the  island  of  the  Gael,  and  he  could  hear 
the  singing  of  the  children  of  the  Wood  of 
Fochlad.  He  went  over  the  sea  of  Icht  then, 
and  he  fasted  in  the  islands  of  the  Torrian 
sea,  and  then  he  went  to  learn  from  Ger- 
manus,  and  after  that  again  to  Rome.  And 
then  he  and  his  people  went  out  to  sea,  nine 
in  all,  and  they  came  to  an  island  where 
they  saw  a  new  house,  and  a  young  man 
and  a  young  woman  in  it;  and  they  saw  a 
withered  old  hag  by  the  door  of  the  house. 
'What  happened  this  old  woman?'  said 
Patrick.  Tt  is  great  her  weakness  is.'  'She 
is  my  own  grandchild,  old  as  she  is,'  said  the 
young  man.  'What  way  did  that  happen?' 
said  Patrick.  'It  is  not  hard  to  say  that'  said 

60 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

the  young  man;  'For  we  are  here  from  the 
time  of  Christ'  he  said  'and  he  came  to  visit 
jUS  when  he  was  here  among  men,  and  we 
'made  a  feast  for  him  and  he  blessed  our 
house  and  he  blessed  ourselves,  but  the  bless- 
ling  did  not  reach  to  our  children.  And  this 
is  the  way  we  will  be,  without  age  coming 
upon  us,  to  the  Judgement.  And  it  is  a  long 
time  your  coming  is  foretold  to  us'  he  said 
'and  it  is  the  will  of  God  for  you  to  go  and 
to  preach  in  the  country  of  the  Gael;  and 
Christ  left  a  token  with  us,  a  bent  staff  to  be 
igiven  to  you.' 

PATRICK  GOES  Patricktookthe  staff 

BACK  TO  IRELAND     with    him    then    & 

went  back  to  Germanus.   And  Victor  the 

angel  came  and  said  to  him  'It  was  God's 

ibidding  to  you  to  go  backand  to  teach  in  the 

jcountry  of  the  Gael.'   But  Patrick  was  not 

;  willing  to  go  and  he  complained  to  God  of 

ithe  hardheartedness  of  the  Gael.  And  God 

jsaid  'I  myself  will  be  your  helper.'  Then 

[Patrick  went  back  to  Rome  and  hewasmade 

la  bishop,  and  when  they  were  making  a 

bishop  of  him  the  three  quires  answered  to 

I  them,  the  quire  of  the  people  of  Heaven,  the 

:  quire  of  the  Romans  and  the  quire  of  the 

children  of  the  Wood  of  Fochlad.  It  was  in 

6i 


BOOK  THREE:  BLESSED 

the  east  of  Ireland  he  landed,  at  Inis  Patrick; 
and  three  times  before  that  the  druids  had 
foretold  his  coming,  and  it  is  what  they  said, 
'Adzeheadswillcome  over  an  angry  sea;  their 
cloaks  hole-headed;  their  staves  crooked; 
their  tables  to  the  east  of  their  houses; 
they  will  all  answer  Amen.'  At  the  time  he 
landed  it  was  the  feast  of  Beltaine,  and  on 
that  day  every  year  the  High  King  lighted 
a  fire  in  Teamhuir,  and  there  was  geasa,  that 
is  a  bond,  upon  the  men  of  Ireland  not  to 
kindle  a  fire  in  any  place  before  the  kindling 
of  that  fireinTeamhuir.  Patrick, now,struck 
the  flame  of  the  Paschal  fire,  and  all  the 
people  saw  it  and  it  lighted  up  the  whole  of 
Magh  Breg.  'That  is  a  breaking  of  bonds' 
said  the  king  to  his  druids;  'and  find  out  for 
me'  he  said  'who  was  it  kindled  that  fire.' 
And  it  is  what  the  druids  said,  'Unless  that 
fire  is  quenched  before  morning  in  the  same 
night  it  was  kindled,  it  will  never  be 
quenched.'  And  when  the  fire  was  not 
quenched  in  that  night,  there  was  great 
anger  on  the  king. 

THEDEER'SCRY  Patrick  made  thishymn 
one  time  he  was  going  to  preach  the  Faith 
at  Teamhuir,  and  his  enemies  lay  in  hiding 
to  make  an  attack  on  him  as  he  passed.  But 

62 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

as  he  himself  and  Benen  his  servant  went  by, 
all  they  could  see  passing  was  a  wild  deer 
and  a  fawn.  And  the  Deer's  Cry  is  the  name 
of  the  hymn  to  this  day. 
'I  bind  myself  to-day  to  a  strong  strength, 
to  a  calling  on  the  Trinity.  I  believe  in  a 
Threeness  with  confession  of  a  Oneness  in 
the  Creator  of  the  World. 
'I  bind  myself  to-day  to  the  strength  of 
Christ'sbirthandhisbaptism ;  tothestrength 
of  his  crucifixion  with  his  burial ;  to  the 
strength  of  his  resurrection  with  his  ascen- 
sion; 

'In  stability  of  earth,  in  steadfastness  of  rock, 
I  bind  to  myself  to-day  God's  strength  to 
pilot  me ; 

'God's  power  to  uphold  me  ;  God's  wisdom 
to  guide  me ;  God's  eye  to  look  before  me ; 
God's  ear  to  hear  me  ; 

'God's  word  to  speak  for  me ;  God's  hand  to 
guard  me;  God's  path  to  lie  before  me; 
God's  shield  to  protect  me ;  God's  host  to 
save  me ; 

'Against  snares  of  demons;  against  the  beg- 
ging of  sins;  against  the  asking  of  nature; 
against  all  my  ill-wishers  near  me  and  far 
from  me  ;  alone  and  in  a  crowd. 
'So  I  have  called  on  all  these  strengths,  to 

63 


BOOK  THREE :  BLESSED 

come  betweenmeandeveryfierceand  merci- 
less strength  that  may  come  between  my 
body  and  my  soul ; 

^Against  incantations  of  false  prophets; 
against  black  laws  of  heathens ;  against  false 
laws  of  heretics ;  against  craft  of  idolatry  ; 
against  spells  of  women  and  smiths  and 
druids ;  against  every  knowledge  forbidden 
to  the  souls  of  men  ; 

'Christ  for  my  protection  to-day  against 
poison,  against  burning,  against  drowning, 
against  wounding ;  that  a  multitude  of  re- 
wards may  come  to  me. 
'Christ  with  me,  Christ  before  me ;  Christ 
behind  me,  Christ  in  me  ;  Christ  under  me, 
Christ  over  me ;  Christ  to  the  right  of  me, 
Christ  to  the  left  of  me ;  Christ  in  lying 
down,  Christ  in  sitting,  Christ  in  rising  up; 
'Christ  in  the  heart  of  everyone  that  thinks 
of  me ;  Christ  in  the  mouth  of  everyonethat 
speaks  to  me ;  Christ  in  every  eye  that  sees 
me ;  Christ  in  every  ear  that  hears  me. 
'I  bind  to  myself  to-day  a  strong  strength  to 
a  calling  upon  the  Trinity;  I  believe  in  a 
Threeness  with  confession  of  a  Oneness  in 
the  Creator  of  the  World!' 
PATRICK  AND  It  is  often  told  by  the 
THE  BIG  MEN     people  of  Ireland   how 

64 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

Oisin,  son  of  Finn,  came  back  to  Ireland  in 
the  time  of  Patrick;  and  the  poets  of  Ire- 
land have  put  into  verses  the  arguments  they 
used  to  be  having  with  one  another.  And 
there  are  some  say  Caoilte  of  the  Fianna 
and  a  troop  of  his  people  were  in  Ireland  at 
that  same  time ;  and  whether  or  not  that 
story  is  true,  this  is  the  way  the  meeting 
between  himself  and  Patrick  is  put  down  in 
the  old  writings. 

Patrick  was  one  time  sino-incr  the  Mass  at 

I  the  Rath  of  the  Red  Ridge  where  Finn,  son 

lof  Cumhal,  used  to  be,  and  his  clerks  were 

with  him.  And  the  clerks  saw  Caoilte  and 

his  people  coming  towards  them,  and  fear 

\  and  terror  fell  on  them  before  the  great  men 

I  and  the  great  hounds  that  were  with  them  ; 

I  for   they  were  not  of  the  one  time  with 

themselves.  Itisthen  there  roseup  that  high 

herdsman,  that  angel  of  the  earth,  Patrick 

son  of  Calpurn,  Apostle  of  the  Gael,  and 

sprinkled  holy  water  upon  the  big  men,  and 

with  that  every  bad  thing  that  was  about 

them  made  awayinto  the  hills  and  the  scalps 

and  the  borders  of  the  country  on  every  side, 

and  the  big  men  sat  down.  And  there  was 

great  wonder  on  the  clerks  as  they  looked  at 

them,  for  the  tallest  of  themselves  reached 

6^  K 


BOOK  THREE:  BLESSED 

but  to  their  waist  or  to  their  shoulders,  and 
they  sitting.  'What  name  have  you?'  said 
Patrick  then.  'I  am  Caoilte,  son  of  Ronan  of 
the  Fianna.'  'Was  it  not  a  good  lord  you 
were  with'  said  Patrick  'that  is  Finn,  son  of 
Cumhal?'  And  Caoilte  said  'If  the  brown 
leaves  falling  in  the  woods  were  gold,  if  the 
waves  of  the  sea  were  silver,  Finn  would 
have  given  away  the  whole  of  it.'  'What  was 
it  kept  you  through  your  lifetime?'  said 
Patrick.  'Truth  that  was  in  our  hearts,  and 
strength  in  our  hands,  and  fulfilment  in  our 
tongues'  said  Caoilte.  Then  Patrick  gave 
them  food  and  drink  and  good  treatment  and 
talked  with  them.  And  on  the  morning  of 
the  morrow  his  two  protecting  angels  came 
to  him  out  on  the  green,  and  he  asked  them 
was  it  any  harm  before  the  King  of  Heaven 
and  earth,  for  him  to  be  listening  to  the 
stories  of  the  Fianna.  And  it  is  what  the 
angels  answered  him:  'Holy  Clerk'  theysaid 
'it  is  no  more  than  a  third  of  their  stories 
these  old  fighting-men  can  tell,  by  reason  of 
forgetfulness  and  their  memory  that  fails 
them ;  but  whatever  they  tell,  let  you  write 
it  down  on  poet's  boards  and  in  the  words  of 
poets,  for  it  will  be  a  diversion  to  the  com- 
panies and  the  high peopleof  the  lattertimes 

66 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

to  be  listening  to  them/  And  Patrick  did  as 
they  bade  him,  and  he  bade  Brogan  the 
scribe  to  write  down  all  the  stories  told  by 
Caoilte ;  and  Brogan  did  that,  and  they  are 
in  the  world  to  this  day. 
THE  HIDDEN  WELL  One  time  Diar- 
OF  USNACH  muidking  oflre- 

land  was  with  Patrick  on  the  Hillof  Usnach, 
and  there  was  no  water  to  be  had ;  and  one 
of  the  big  men  of  the  Fianna,  it  might  have 
been  Caoilte  and  it  might  have  been  Oisin, 
asked  for  a  vessel  that  he  might  go  and  get 
it.  And  as  he  went  he  was  looking  back  to 
see  were  they  watching  him,  and  when  he 
was  out  of  their  sight  he  went  to  the  Well  of 
Usnach  that  was  called  the  Whitebrimmed, 
and  since  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Gabra  it 
had  never  been  found  by  any  man  in  Ireland. 
And  when  he  came  to  the  brink  of  the  well 
he  saw  in  it  eight  beautiful  speckled  salmon, 
for  it  was  such  a  hidden  place  there  was  no- 
thing for  them  to  be  in  dread  of.  He  took 
then  eight  sprigs  of  watercress  and  eight  of 
brooklime,  and  he  put  down  the  vessel  into 
the  well  and  he  took  the  eight  salmon  alive 
and  leaping  like  mad  things.  And  then  he 
went  back  and   set   the  vessel  before   the 
King  of  Ireland,  and  there  was  wonder  on 

67 


BOOK  THREE:  BLESSED 

them  all  seeing  that ;  and  the  stalk  of  every 
one  of  the  sprigs  of  the  watercress  reached  as 
high  as  Diarmuid's  knee.  'They  must  be 
divided  into  two  shares'  he  said  'a  half  to 
Patrick  and  a  half  to  ourselves.'  'Not  so'  said 
Patrick  *for  there  are  more  of  you  than  of 
ourselves.  But  make  three  parts'  he  said  'and 
give  one  to  the  church  for  that  is  her  own 
share ;'  and  so  it  was  done.  'That  is  well, 
King  of  Ireland'  he  said  then  *but  donotlose 
your  share  inheaven  through  these  big  men.' 
*What  do  you  mean  saying  that?'  said  Diar- 
muid.  *I  mean  that  you  have  your  thoughts 
too  much  taken  up  with  them'  said  Patrick. 
PATRICK  AND  CAS-  Onetime  the 

CORACH  THE  MUSICIAN  King  of  Ul- 
ster went  up  with  Caoilte  to  a  great  liss  that 
was  called  Foradh-na-Feinne,  the  Resting- 
place  of  the  Fianna.  And  when  they  were 
there  they  saw  coming  towards  them  a  young 
man  that  was  wearing  a  beautiful  green  cloak 
having  in  it  a  silver  brooch;  a  shirt  of  yellow 
silk  next  his  skin  he  had;  a  coat  of  soft  satin, 
and  a  harp  from  his  neck.  'Where  do  you 
come  from  and  who  are  you  yourself?'  said 
the  King.  'I  come  from  the  South  from  the 
Hill  of  Bodb  Dearg  son  of  the  Dagda,'  said 
he;  'and  I  am  Cascorach,  son  of  Cainchen 

68 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

that  is  poet  to  the  Tuatha  de  Danaan  and  I 
am  the  makings  of  a  poet  myself.  And  it  is 
what  I  am  come  for  now'  he  said  'to  get  true 
knowledge  and  the  stories  of  the  Fianna  and 
their  o^reat  deeds  fromCaoilte  sonof  Ronan/ 
With  that  he  took  his  harp  and  made  music 
for  them  till  he  had  put  them  all  into  their 
sleep.  'Well  Caoilte  my  soul'  he  said  then 
'  what  answer  will  you  give  me  ? '  '  I  will  give 
you  all  you  are  asking'  said  Caoilte  'if  you 
have  skill  and  understanding  to  learn  all  the 
Fianna  did  of  arms  and  of  bravery.  And  it 
was  a  great  fighting-man  used  to  be  in  this 
place 'he  said  'that  was  Finn,  son  of  Cumhal, 
'and  it  is  great  riches  and  great  wages  you 
would  have  got  from  him  for  your  music; 
although  this  day  the  place  is  empty.'  And 
he  made  this  lament: 

'The  Resting-place  of  the  Fianna  is  bare  to- 
night where  Finn  of  the  naked  sword  used 
to  be;  through  thedeath  of  the  king  that  was 
without  gloom,  wide  Almhuin  is  deserted; 
'The  high  company  are  not  living;  Finn  the 
very  prince  is  not  alive;  no  armies  to  be  seen, 
no  captains  with  the  King  of  the  Fianna. 
'They  are  all  gone,  the  people  of  Finn,  they 
i  that  used  to  be  going  from  valley  to  valley; 
it  is  a  pity  the  life  I  have  now,  to  be  left  after 

69 


BOOK  THREE:   BLESSED 

Diarmuid  and  Conan,  after  Goll  son  of  Morn  a 
from  the  plain. 

'Itisthe  truth  lamteUingyou;  all  that  Isay  is 
true;  it  is  great  our  losses  were  there  beyond. 
They  are  gone,  the  armies  and  the  hundreds; 
it  is  a  pity  I  myself  not  to  have  found  death; 
they  are  all  gone  now;  they  used  to  be  to- 
gether from  border  to  border.' 
Then  Caoilte  brought  to  mind  the  loss  of  the 
heroes  and  of  the  great  companies  he  used  to 
be  going  among,  and  he  cried  miserably, 
sorrowfully,  till  all  his  breast  was  wet  with 
him.  He  set  out  after  that  and  Cascorach 
with  him  and  they  went  up  by  hills  and  rocks 
to  the  top  of  green-grassed  Slieve  Fuad,  to 
the  rowan  tree  of  the  Meadow  of  the  Two 
Stags  and  to  the  place  where  the  men  of  Ul- 
ster left  their  chariots  after  the  last  battle  of 
the  War  for  the  Bull  of  Cuailgne.  And  Pat- 
rick was  there  before  him,  having  with  him 
three  times  fifty  bishopsand  three  times  fifty 
priests  and  three  times  fifty  deacons  and  three 
times  fifty  singers  of  psalms.  And  they  sat 
down  there, and  Patrick  kept  his  Hours  with 
praising  the  Maker  of  the  world.  Then  he 
gave  a  welcome  to  Caoilte.  'Well,  my  souP 
he  said  'who  is  that  well-looking  dark-eye- 
browed  curly-headed  young  man  that  is  with 

70 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

you,  having  a  harp  with  him  ?'  'He  is  Cas- 
corach  son  of  the  musician  of  theTuatha  De 
Danaan,  that  is  come  tofind  news  and  know- 
ledge of  the  Fianna  from  me/  'It  is  a  good 
Iroad  he  has  chosen'  said  Patrick.  'And  O 
iCaoihe'  he  said  'it  is  great  good  you  your- 
self have  waited  for,  the  time  of  belief  and  of 
isaints  and  of  holiness,  and  to  be  in  friendship 
iwith  the  King  of  Heaven  and  earth.  And 
jplay  to  us  now  Cascorach'  he  said  'till  we 
hear  your  music  and  your  skill.'  'I  will  do 
that'  said  Cascorach;  'and  I  never  wasbetter 
•pleased,  holy  Clerk,  to  do  it  for  any  man  than 
for  yourself.'  He  took  his  harp  then  and 
readied  it,  and  played  a  strain  of  music,  and 
!the  clerks  had  never  heard  the  like  of  that 
Imusic  for  sweetness,  unless  it  might  be  the 
(praises  of  the  King  of  Heaven  sung  according 
jto  the  Rule.  And  they  all  fell  into  their  sleep 
(listening  to  the  continuous  music  of  the 
ISidhe.  And  when  Cascorach  had  made  an 
lend  of  playing,  he  asked  a  reward  of  Patrick. 
;'  What  reward  are  you  asking,  my  soul  ? '  said 
iPatrick.  'Heaven  for  myself  said  he  'for  that 
is  the  reward  is  best;  and  good  luck  to  go 
with  my  art  and  with  all  that  will  follow  it 
after  me.'  'I  give  you  heaven'  said  Patrick, 
'and  I  give  this  to  your  art,  it  to  be  one  of 

71 


BOOK  THREE:  BLESSED 

the  three  arts  by  which  a  man  can  find 
profit  to  the  last  in  Ireland.  And  however 
great  the  grudgingness  a  man  of  your  art 
may  meet  with,  let  him  but  make  his  music, 
and  no  one  will  begrudge  him  anything. 
'And  that  they  may  have  all  happiness'  he 
said,  'so  long  as  they  are  not  slothful  in  their 
trade/  After  that  Cascorach  put  back  his 
harp  in  its  covering.  'That  was  good  music 
you  gave  us'  said  Brogan  the  scribe.  'It  was 
good  indeed'  said  Patrick;  'and  but  for  a 
taste  of  the  music  of  the  Sidhe  that  was  in 
it  I  never  heard  anything  nearer  to  the  music 
of  heaven.'  'If  there  is  music  in  heaven  why 
should  it  not  be  on  earth?'  said  Brogan.  'And 
so  it  is  not  right  to  banish  it  away.'  'I  do  not 
say  we  should  banish  it'  said  Patrick,  'but 
only  that  we  should  not  hold  to  it  out  of 
measure.' 

PATRICK'S  FARE-  But  after  a  good 

WELL  TO  CAOILTE  while  Caoilte  said 
*Holy  Patrick,  my  soul,  I  am  thinking  it  is 
time  for  me  to  be  going  to-morrow.'  'Why 
would  you  go?'  said  Patrick.  'To  be  search- 
ing out  the  hills  and  the  hollows  of  every 
place  where  my  comrades  and  the  King  of  the 
Fianna  used  to  be  together  with  me,  for  it 
seems  long  to  me  to  be  in  the  one  place.'  And 

72 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

when  they  rose  up  on  the  morrow,  Caollte 
'laid  his  hand  in  Patrick's  bosom  and  it  is  what 
Patrick  said  'From  myself  to  yourself,  in  the 
house  or  out  of  the  house,  in  whatever  place 
God  will  lay  his  hand  on  you,  I  give  you 
Heaven/ 

BODB  DE ARC'S     Aedh  King  of  Connacht 
DAUGHTER  was  at  Dun  Leoda  Loing- 

sig  one  time  giving  a  great  feast.  And  it  hap- 
pened at  the  fall  of  the  clouds  of  evening  he 
came  out  on  the  green  lawn,  and  as  he  was 
there  and  the  people  of  his  household  with 
him,  he  saw  on  one  side  a  girl  of  wonderful 
appearance,  having  yellow  hair,  and  she  not 
looking  at  the  people  but  only  at  the  king. 
*Wheredo  youcome  fromgirlp'saidtheking. 
'Out  of  the  shining  Brughin  the  east'saidshe. 
*For  whatcauseare  you  come?'  said  theking. 
'You  are  my  sweetheart,'  said  she.  'Whose 
daughter  are  you  and  what  name  have  you?' 
said  the  king.  'I  am  Aillenn  of  the  many 
shapes,  daughter  to  Bodb  Dearg,  son  of  the 
Dagda.  'I  have  never  seen  a  woman  I  would 
sooner  have  as  a  wife  than  yourself  said  the 
king  'but  that  I  am  under  the  rule  of  Blessed 
Patrick  and  of  theKingof  Heavenand  earth. 
And  Patrick  bound  me'  he  said  'to  have  one 
wife  only,  that  is  Aife  daughter  of  Eoghan, 

73  L 


BOOK  THREE:  BLESSED 

King  of  Leinster.  And  would  you  wish  to  be 
seen  by  the  great  men  of  my  kingdom?'  he 
said.  'I  would  like  it  indeed'  said  she  *for  I  am 
not  an  everliving  woman  of  the  Sidhe,  but  I 
am  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danaan,  having  my 
own  body  about  me.'  Then  she  showed  her- 
self to  the  whole  gathering  of  the  people  and 
they  never  saw  before  or  after  a  woman  more 
beautiful  than  herself.  'And  what  judgment 
do  you  put  upon  me  King?'  she  said.  'What- 
ever judgment  Blessed  Patrick  gives  I  will 
give  it'  said  he.  Then  Aedh  sent  messen- 
gers to  Patrick  where  he  was  in  the  south, 
and  they  brought  him  to  Beinn  Gulbain  in 
Maenmag.  And  Aedh  the  King  went  to 
meet  him  there  and  knelt  before  him  and  told 
him  the  whole  story.  'Are  you  the  girl'  said 
Patrick  'that  gave  her  love  to  the  King  of 
Connacht?'  'I  am'  said  she.  'Well  girl'  said 
Patrick  'it  is  good  your  shape  is  and  your  ap- 
pearance. And  what  is  it  keeps  you  like  this' 
he  said  'at  the  very  height  of  your  comeli- 
ness?' 'Everyone  that  drank  at  Giobniu's 
Feast'  she  said/no  sickness  or  wasting  comes 
upon  them.  And  tell  me  now  holy  Clerk' 
she  said 'what  is  your  judgmenton  myself  and 
on  the  King  of  Connacht?'  'It  is  a  good  one' 
said  Patrick;  'it  is  settled  by  God  and  myself 

74 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

that  amanmust  have  one  wife  only/  *And  I 
myself  said  the  girl  'what  am  I  to  do  ?'  ^Go 
back  to  your  house  among  the  Sidhe'  said 
Patrick ;  'and  if  it  should  happen  the  King  of 
Leinster's  daughter  to  die  before  yourself, let 
the  man  you  havegiven  your  love  to  take  you 
as  hisonlywife.  But  if  you  should  try  to  harm 
Aedh  or  his  wife  by  day  or  by  night'  he  said 
'I  will  destroy  you  the  way  neither  your 
father  or  your  mother  or  your  fosterers  will 
like  tobe  lookingatyou.'  Then  the  girl  cried 
pitifully,  heavily,  and  the  King  said  'I  am  dear 
to  you.'  *You  are  dear  to  me  indeed'  said  she. 
'There  is  not  one  of  the  people  of  the  world 
is  dearer  to  me  than  yourself  said  the  king ; 
'but  I  must  not  go  beyond  the  conditions  of 
the  Adzeheadandof  God.'  With  that  the  girl 
went  back  to  her  hidden  house  among  the 
Sidhe.  And  after  a  while  the  wife  of  the  King 
of  Connacht  died  at  Uaran  Garaid  and  was 
buried  on  the  hill  that  is  called  the  High 
Place  of  the  Angels.  And  after  that  again 
there  wasagatheringmade  of  all  the  five  pro- 
vinces of  Ireland  to  hold  the  feast  of  Team- 
huir.  And  Patrick  and  Aedh  King  of  Con- 
nacht were  out  on  the  green;  and  they  saw 
coming  towards  them  Aillenn  daughter  of 
Bodb  Dearg,  having  with  her  three  fifties  of 

75 


BOOK  THREE:  BLESSED 

the  women  of  theTuathade  Danaan,and  she 
sat  down  on  the  grass  beside  Patrick  and  the 
King  of  Connacht,and  she  gave  her  message. 
Then  Patrick  said  to  the  King  *I  will  give 
her  to  you  if  you  will  take  her  as  your  wife.' 
*  Whatever  you  are  willingfor  me  to  do  I  will 
do  it'  said  the  King.  *I  promised  you  would 
take  her'  said  Patrick,  *if  she  w^ould  give  up 
her  false  druid  belief  and  kneel  to  the  King 
of  heaven  and  earth.'  'Do  you  agree  to  that 
Aillenn.f''  said  the  king.  4  agree  toit'  saidshe. 
Thensheroseup,andher  women, andthey  all 
kneeled  to  Patrick,  and  Patrick  joined  her  and 
the  King  in  marriage.  That  nov/  was  the  first 
marriage  made  by  the  Adzehead  in  Ireland. 
ETHNE  THE  BEAU-  Patrick  was  one 
TIFUL  AND  FEDELM  time  at  Cruachan 
THE  ROSY-RED  of  Connacht,  and 

he  went  up  to  the  well  that  is  called  Clibach 
and  that  is  opposite  the  rising  of  the  sun,  and 
he  sat  down  beside  the  well,  and  his  clerks 
with  him.  There  were  two  daughters  now 
of  Laoghaire  the  High  King  were  living  at 
Rath  Cruachan  at  that  time,  getting  their 
learning  from  the  druids,  and  the  name  of 
the  one  wasEthne-and  the  other  was  Fedelm 
the  Rosy-Red.  And  it  was  their  custom 
every  morning  to  come  and  to  wash  them- 

76 


P: 


Sf! 


b. 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 

selves  in  the  well.  And  on  this  day  when 
they  came  they  saw  a  company  of  men  hav- 
ing white  clothes,  and  books  before  them 
beside  the  well.  And  there  was  great  wonder 
on  them  and  they  thought  them  to  be  of  the 
people  of  the  Sidhe.  And  they  questioned 
Patrick  and  said  to  him*Wheredo  you  come 
from?  And  where  are  you  going?  And  is  it 
gods  you  are'  they  said  *or  men  from  the 
hills  of  the  Sidhe?'  'It  would  be  better  for 
you  to  believe  in  God  than  to  be  asking  who 
we  ourselves  are'  said  Patrick.  *Who  is  your 
God?'  said  Ethne  then.  *And  where  is  he?' 
she  said*Isit  in  the  skies  he  is,  or  in  the  earth, 
or  under  the  earth,  or  upon  the  earth,  or  in 
the  seas  or  in  the  streams,  or  in  the  moun- 
tains or  in  the  valleys?  And  has  he  riches?' 
she  said  *Is  he  young?  Is  he  beautiful?  Has 
he  sons  and  daughters?  Is  he  of  the  ever- 
living  ones?'  Patrick  took  in  hand  then  to 
answer  theirquestions  and  to  teach  them  the 
true  faith ;  and  he  told  them  it  was  fitting 
they  should  join  with  the  King  of  Glory, 
being  asthey  were  the  daughters  of  an  earthly 

Iking.  And  when  they  had  heard  the  whole 
story  a  great  desire  came  upon  them  to  serve 
I  Him.  'And  it  is  the  desire  of  our  hearts'  they 
1  said  'to  see  his  Son,  our  husband.'  'That  is 

77 


BOOK  THREE:  BLESSED 

not  possible' said  Patrick  *butthrough  taking 
the  body  of  Christ  and  through  death.' 
*We  would  die  surely'  they  said  *if  we  might 
see  Christ  on  the  moment.'  Then  Patrick 
baptized  them  and  gave  them  the  Body  of 
Christ,  andput  a  white  veil  upon  their  heads, 
and  they  were  filled  with  peace  and  with  the 
friendship  of  God.  And  when  they  were 
sleeping  in  death,  his  people  put  them  on  a 
little  bed  and  laid  coverings  over  them,  and 
keened  them  there. 

THE  SOUL  AND  The  Saviour  told  Pat- 
THE  BODY  rick  one  time  to  go  and 

prepare  a  man  that  was  going  to  die.  And 
Patrick  said  T  would  sooner  not  go  for  I 
never  yet  saw  the  soul  part  from  the  body.' 
But  afterthat  hewent  andprepared  the  man. 
And  when  he  was  lying  there  dead,  he  saw 
the  soul  go  from  the  body,  and  three  times 
it  went  to  the  door  and  three  times  it  came 
backand  kissed  thebody.  And  Patrick  asked 
the  Saviour  why  it  did  that  and  he  said 
'That  soul  was  sorry  to  part  from  the  body 
because  it  hadkept  it  so  clean  andso  honest.' 
PATRICK'S  Patrick  went  one  time 

RUSH  CANDLES  intoahouseinthesouth, 
and  the  people  of  it  were  poor,  and  they  had 
not  a  candle  or  a  rushlight  or  turf  or  sticks 

78 


PATRICK  OF  THE  BELLS 


for  a  fire,  but  when  the  dayHght  was  done 
Iwhat  they  had  to  do  was  to  go  to  their  bed. 
lAnd  when   Patrick  came  in  and  saw  the 
Ihouse  so  dark  he  said  'Are  there  no  green 
rushes  growing  in  the  bog?'  So  they  went 
out  and  brought  him  in  a  bundle  of  green 
rushes  and  he  took  them  in  his  hand  and 
blessed  them, and  theygaveout  light  through 
the  whole  of  the  night  time. 
HIS  CHURCH  Patrick  was  walking  up 

AT  ARDMACHA  the  hill  of  Ardmacha 
lone  time  with  his  people  and  they  found  a 
doe  resting  on  the  ground,  and  a  fawn  beside 
her.  And  his  people  were  going  to  kill  the 
fawn,  but  Patrickforbade  them  and  he  took 
it  in  his  arms  and  carried  it,  and  the  doe 
came  following  after  him.  And  it  was  in  the 
place  where  he  put  down  the  fawn,  the 
church  of  Ardmacha  was  built  for  him  after- 
wards. 

ME  IS  WAKED  BY  When  the  time  came 
THE  ANGELS  for  Patrick  to  die  it  is 

(to  Ardmacha  he  had  a  desire  to  go.  But 
•Victor  the  angel  went  to  meet  him  on  the 
road  at  midday  and  said  'Go  back  to  the 
Iplace  you  came  from,  to  the  barn,  for  it  is 
ithere  your  death  will  be.  And  give  thanks  to 
Christ'  he  said  'for  your  prayers  are  granted ; 

79 


BOOK  THREE 

it  is  to  Heaven  you  will  soon  be  going.'  And 
when  his  soul  parted  from  his  body,  there 
was  no  candle  wasted  with  him,  but  it  was 
the  angels  of  God  kept  lasting  watch  over 
him  until  the  end  of  twelve  nights,  and 
through  all  that  time  there  was  no  night  in 
Magh  Inis  with  the  light  of  the  angels.  It  is 
that  was  a  long  day  of  peace!  And  after  his 
death  there  was  near  being  a  great  battle 
between  the  men  of  Ulster  and  the  Ua  Neill, 
fightingforhisbody.  But  at  the  last  it  seemed 
to  them  that  his  body  was  brought  by  each 
of  them  to  his  own  country,  and  so  they  were 
separated  by  God. 


80 


BOOK FOUR: 

THE  VOYAGE  OF  M  AELDUNE 

THE  OUEEN'S  FOSTER-SON 


c^ 


There  was  a  great  man  of  the  Eoganacht  of  the 
Arans,  Aihll  of  the  Edge  of  Battle  his  name 
was.  And  one  time  he  went  with  the  king  mak- 
ingwarhefellinwithawomanof  Kildare,and 
he  forced  her;  and  shebadehimto  tell  her  his 
race  and  his  name.  And  it  was  not  long  after 
that,  he  was  killed  by  robbers  in  his  own  place, 
and  they  burnedhischurch  over  him.  And  at 
the  endof  ninemonths  thewoman  gavebirth 
to  a  son,  and  she  gave  him  the  name  of 
Maeldune.  And  after  a  while  she  brought 
himin  secret  to  the  Queen,  that  was  her  friend, 
and  itwasby  the  Queen  Maeldune  was  reared, 
and  she  gave  out  that  she  was  his  mother; 
and  the  one  fostermother  reared  him  and 
the  King's  three  sons  in  the  one  cradle  and 
on  the  one  breast  and  the  one  knee.  It  is 
beautiful  indeed  Maeldune  was,  and  it  is 
likely  there  was  never  anyone  so  beautiful  as 
himself,  and  he  grew  up  to  be  a  young  man, 
fit  to  use  weapons,  and  it  is  quiet  he  was  and 
'  pleasant  in  his  ways.  And  in  his  play  he  went 
beyond  all  his  comrades,  in  throwing  of  balls 
and  in  running  and  leaping,  and  in  racing  of 
horses,  for  it  is  he  took  the  sway  in  all  these 
things.  One  day  now  a  proud  fighting  man 

8l  M 


BOOK  FOUR  :  THE 

got  to  be  jealous  of  him  and  he  said  in  the 
dint  of  his  anger  'You'  he  said  'whose  race 
and  kindred  no  one  knows,  and  whose  father 
and  mother  no  one  knows,  to  be  getting  the 
better  of  us  in  every  game,  whether  by  land 
or  by  water  or  on  the  draughtboard.'  Mael- 
dune  was  silent  when  he  heard  that,  for  till 
that  time  he  thought  himself  to  be  a  son  of 
the  king  and  of  the  queen  his  fostermother. 
And  he  went  to  her  and  said  to  her  'I  will 
not  eat  and  I  will  not  drink'  he  said  'till  you 
tell  me  of  my  mother  and  my  father.'  'Why 
are  you  asking  after  that  ? '  said  she.  'Do  not 
give  heed  to  the  words  of  the  young  men. 
It  is  I  am  your  mother '  she  said  '  and  the 
love  of  noperson  on  earth  for  a  son  is  greater 
than  my  love  for  you.'  'That  may  be  so'  he 
said  'but  for  all  that,  it  is  right  for  you  to 
make  known  my  own  parents  to  me.' 
So  his  fostermother  wentwith  him, and  gave 
him  into  the  hand  of  his  mother,  and  on  that 
he  asked  his  mother  to  tell  him  who  was  his 
father.  'It  is  foolishness  to  ask  that'  she  said 
'for  if  you  should  know  your  father  itself  it 
would  not  serve  you,  and  you  would  be  no 
better  ofFfor  it  is  long  ago  he  died.'  'It  is 
better  for  me  to  know  it'  said  he  'however  it 
maybe.'  His  mother  told  him  the  truth  then. 

82 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

'Ailill  of  the  Edge  of  Battle  was  your 
father'  she  said  'of  the  Eoganacht  of  Aran/ 
Then  Maeldune  went  to  his  father's  place 
and  to  his  own  inheritance,  and  his  three 
fosterbrotherswith  him,  and  it  is  kind  cham- 
pions they  were.  And  his  kindred  welcomed 
them,  and  they  bade  him  keep  good  courage. 
It  was  some  time  after  that,  the  graveyard  of 
the  Church  of  Duncluain  was  full  of  fighting 
men  that  were  casting  stones;  and  Mael- 
dune's  foot  was  on  the  burned  wall  of  the 
church,  and  he  casting  the  stone  over  it. 
And  a  bitter-tongued  man  of  the  people  of 
the  church  said  to  Maeldune,  'It  would  be 
better'  he  said  'you  to  avenge  the  man  that 
was  burned  there  than  to  be  casting  stones 
over  his  bare  burned  bones.'  'What  man  was 
that?'  said  Maeldune.  'It  was  Ailill'  he  said 
'your  own  father.'  'Who  was  it  killed  him  ? ' 
said  Maeldune.  'It  was  outlaws  of  Laighis' 
he  said  'and  it  was  here  on  this  spot  he 
was  destroyed.'  Then  Maeldune  threw  the 
stone  from  him,  and  took  his  cloak  around 
him  and  his  fighting-dress,  and  he  was 
I  sorrowful  doing  it.  And  he  asked  what  way 
:  could  he  go  to  Laighis,  and  those  that  knew 
i  it  said  he  could  not  go  there  but  by  sea  only. 
,  So  he  went  into  the  country  of  Corcomruadh 

83 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

to  ask  a  charm  and  good  luck  of  a  druid 
that  was  there,  till  he  would  begin  build- 
ing a  boat.  The  druid  told  Maeldune  what 
day  he  should  begin  his  boat,  and  the  num- 
ber that  should  go  in  it,  seventeen  men,  no 
more  and  no  less ;  and  he  told  him  the  day- 
he  should  set  out  to  sea.  Then  Maeldune 
made  a  boat  having  three  skins  on  it,  and 
those  that  were  to  go  with  him  made  ready; 
German  was  of  them,  and  Diuran  the  half- 
poet.  He  set  out  on  the  sea  the  same  day 
the  druid  had  bade  him,  and  when  they 
were  gone  a  little  from  the  land  after  hoist- 
ing the  sail,  there  came  to  the  harbour  his 
three  fosterbrothers,  and  they  called  to  him 
to  let  them  go  with  him.  'Go  back  home' 
said  Maeldune  'for  if  I  was  to  go  back  itself  I 
would  not  bring  with  me  but  the  number 
that  is  here.'  'We  will  go  into  the  sea  after 
you  and  be  drowned  if  you  will  not  come 
back  to  us'  they  said.  Then  the  three  of 
themthrewthemselvesinto  the  seaand  swam 
out  from  the  land ;  and  when  Maeldune  saw 
that,  he  turned  back  to  them  that  they  might 
not  be  drowned,  and  brought  them  into  the 
currach  to  him. 

THE  LITTLE  They  were  rowing  that 
BALD  ISLANDS     day  till  vespers,  and  the 

84 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

night  after  till  midnight,  tillthey  found  two 
little  bald  islands  having  two  duns  in  them ; 
I  and  they  heard  coming  out  from  the  duns 
the  cries  and  the  outcry  of  drunkenness  and 
of  the  soldiers  with  their  spoils.  And  it  is 
what  they  heard  one  man  saying  to  another 
'Keep  off  from  me'  he  said  'for  I  am  a  better 
champion  than  yourself,  for  it  is  I  killed 
Ailill  of  the  Edge  of  Battle,  and  burned 
Duncluainonhim,and  his  kindredhavedone 
nothing  against  me ;  and  you  never  did  the 
like  of  that'  he  said.  'We  have  the  victory  in 
our  hands' said  German  and  Diuran  the  half- 
poet.  'It  is  God  brought  us  here  and  that 
directed  our  boat.  And  let  us  go  and  make 
an  attack  on  those  duns'  he  said  'since  God 
has  showedus  our  enemies.'  Whilethey  were 
saying  those  words  a  great  wind  came  upon 
them,  the  way  they  were  driven  all  that  night 
until  morning.  Andevenafter  daybreak  they 
did  not  see  land  or  earth,  and  they  did  not 
know  where  they  were  going.  Then  Mael- 
dunesaid  'Leave  the  boat  quiet  without  row- 
ing, and  wherever  God  has  a  mind  to  bring 
it,  let  it  go.'  Then  they  came  into  the  great 
ocean  that  has  no  ending,  and  it  is  what 
Maeldune  said  to  his  fosterbrothers.  'It  is 
you  have  done  that  on  us,  throwing  your- 

85 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

selves  upon  us  in  the  boat  against  the  word 
of  the  druid  thattoldus  nottolet  come  in  the 
boat  but  the  number  we  were  before  you 
came.'  And  they  had  no  answer  to  give, only 
to  stay  in  their  silence  for  a  while. 
THE  ISLAND  Threedaysandthree nights 
OF  ANTS  they  were,  and  they  did 

not  find  land  nor  ground.  And  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  third  day  they  heard  a  sound  from 
the  north-east.  'That  is  the  sound  of  a  wave 
against  the  shore'  said  German.  And  when 
the  day  was  light,  they  went  towards  land, 
and  as  they  were  casting  lots  to  know  who 
shouldgoonshore, there  came  a  great  swarm 
of  ants,  every  one  of  them  the  size  of  a  foal, 
down  to  the  strand  towards  them  and  into 
the  sea,  as  if  to  devour  them  and  their  boat. 
So  Maeldune  and  his  men  made  away  and 
were  going  over  the  sea  for  three  days  and 
three  nights,  and  they  saw  neither  land  nor 
ground. 

THE  ISLAND  The  morning  of  the  third 
OF  BIRDS  day  they  heard  the  sound 

of  waves  against  the  strand,  and  they  saw 
with  the  light  of  day  an  island,big  and  high, 
and  ridges  about  it,  every  one  of  them  lower 
than  the  other, and  trees  around  it,  and  great 
birds  on  the  trees.  And  they  were  consult- 

86 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

ing  together  who  would  go  and  search  the 
island,  and  see  what  kind  were  the  birds.  'I 
will  go'  said  Maeldune.  So  he  went  and  he 
searched  the  island,  and  he  found  no  harm- 
ful thing  in  it,  and  they  ate  their  fill  of  the 
birds  and  brought  more  of  them  into  the 
boat. 

THE  BEAST  THAT  WAS  Three  days  and 
LIKE  A  HORSE  three      nights 

they  were  on  the  sea  after  that,  but  on  the 
morning  of  the  fourth  day  they  saw  another 
great  island  having  sandy  soil.  And  when 
they  came  to  the  shore  they  saw  a  beast  on 
it  that  was  like  a  horse.  Legs  of  a  hound  he 
had  with  rough  sharp  nails,  and  it  is  a  great 
welcome  he  gave  them,  and  he  was  moving 
about  before  them ;  for  he  was  covetous  to 
devour  themselves  and  their  boat.  'It  is  not 
jsorry  he  is  to  meet  with  us'  said  Maeldune  ; 
'and  let  us  go  out  from  the  island.'  They  did 
Ithat,  and  when  the  beast  saw  them  going 
;from  him,  he  went  down  to  the  strand,  and 
he  was  digging  it  up  with  his  sharp  nails  and 
'pelting  them,  that  they  did  not  think  to 
escape  from  him. 

;rHE  DEMON  They  rowed  a  long  way 
jRIDERS  after  that,  till  they  saw  a 

3:reat  level  island  before  them.  And  it  was 

87 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

on  German  there  fell  a  bad  lot  to  go  and  to 
search  that  island.  'The  both  of  us  will  go' 
said  Diuran  the  half-poet;  'andyou  willcome 
with  me  another  time  when  I  am  to  search 
out  an  island.'  So  the  two  of  them  went  into 
the  island,  and  it  is  great  its  size  was,  and  its 
length,  and  they  saw  in  it  a  long  green  lawn, 
having  hoof  marks  of  horses  on  it,  and  every 
hoof  mark  was  the  size  of  the  sail  of  a  ship. 
And  along  with  that  they  saw  the  shells  of 
very  large  nuts  and  they  saw  what  was  like 
the  leavings  of  food  of  many  people,  and 
they  were  in  dread  of  what  they  saw,  and 
they  called  to  the  rest  of  their  people  to 
come  and  see  what  they  saw.  There  was  fear 
on  them  all  after  that,  and  they  made  no 
delay  and  went  back  into  their  boat.  And 
when  they  had  gone  out  a  little  from  the 
land  they  saw  rushing  over  the  sea  to  the 
island  a  great  troop,  that  when  they  reached 
to  the  green  on  the  island  began  racing  their 
horses.  Audit  is  quicker  thanthewind  every 
horse  was,  and  it  is  great  was  the  noise  and 
the  shouting.  And  Maeldune  could  hear 
the  strokes  of  the  rods  on  the  horses,  and  he 
could  hear  what  everyone  of  them  was  say- 
ing: 'Bring  the  grey  horse' 'Drive  the  brown 
horse  there  beyond'  'Bring  the  white  one' 

88 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

'My  horse  is  the  quickest'  'Mine  is  the  best 
at  the  leaps!'  And  when  they  heard  those 
words  they  made  away  with  all  their  might, 
for  they  were  sure  it  was  a  gathering  of 
demons  they  were  looking  at. 
A  HOUSE  OF  Then  they  were  going  on 
PLENTY  through  the  length  of  a 

week  in  hunger  and  in  thirst  till  they  found 

ii  an  island  very  big  and  high,  and  a  large  house 
at  the  edge  of  the  sea,anda  door  in  the  house 
towards  the  level  plain  of  the  island,  and 
another  door  towards  the  sea,  and  against 
that  door  there  was  a  weir  of  stone,  and 

I  an  opening  in  it,  and  the  waves  of  the  sea 
were  throwing  salmon  through  the  open- 
ing into  the  middle  of  the  house.  The  wan- 
derers went  into  the  house  then,  and  they 

I  found  no  one  in  it,  but  what  they  saw  was  a 

j  very  large  bed  for  the  head  man  of  the  house 

;  only,  and  a  bed  for  every  three  of  his  people, 
and  food  for  three  before  every  bed,  and  a 
glass  vessel  with  good  drink  in  it  before 
every  bed,  and  a  cup  for  every  vessel.  So 
they  made  a  mealoffthat  food  and  that  drink, 
and  they  gave  thanks  to  Almighty  God  that 

I  had  given  them  relief  from  their  hunger. 

I  THE  APPLE  When  they  went  from  that 
ROD  island  they  were  going  for  a 

89  N 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

long  time  hungry  and  without  food,  till  they 
found  another  island,  and  a  high  cliff  around 
it  on  every  side,  and  a  long  narrow  wood  in 
it,  very  long  and  very  narrow.  When  Mael- 
dune  reached  to  that  wood  he  took  a  rod  in 
his  hand,  and  he  passing  by.  Three  days  and 
three  nights  the  rod  was  in  his  hand,  and  the 
currach  under  sail  going  along  by  the  cliff. 
And  on  the  third  day  he  found  a  cluster  of 
threeapplesattheendoftherod.  And  through 
forty  nights  they  were  satisfied  with  those 
apples. 

THE  WHIRLING  They  came  then  to 
BEAST  another  island,  and  a 

wall  of  stone  around  it.  And  when  they  came 
near,agreat  beast  leaped  up  and  went  racing 
about  the  island,  and  it  seemed  to  Maeldune 
to  be  going  quicker  than  the  wind.  And  it 
went  then  to  the  high  part  of  the  island,  and 
it  did  thestraightening-of-the-body  feat,  that 
is,  its  head  below  and  its  feet  above ;  and  it 
is  the  way  it  used  to  be,  it  turned  in  its  skin, 
the  flesh  and  the  bones  going  around  but  the 
skin  outside  without  moving.  And  at  another 
time  the  skin  outside  would  turn  like  a  mill, 
and  the  flesh  and  the  bones  not  stirring. 
That  now  is  the  way  it  was,  and  it  going 
around  the  island.  Maeldune  and  his  people 

90 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

made  away  then  with  all  their  might,  and 
the  beast  saw  them  running,  and  it  made  for 
the  strand  to  get  hold  of  them  and  it  began 
to  strike  at  them, and  it  was  casting  stones  at 
them,  and  one  of  the  stones  came  into  the 
currach  and  it  broke  through  Maeldune's 
shield,  and  lodged  in  the  keel  of  the  currach. 
THE  WICKED  It  was  not  long  after  that 
HORSES  they  found  another  high 

island,  and  it  is  delightful  it  was,  and  there 
were  great  beasts  in  it  like  horses.  Everyone 
of  them  would  take  a  piece  out  of  the  side  of 
another  and  bring  it  away  with  its  skin  and 
its  flesh,  the  way  there  were  streams  of  red 
blood  breaking  out  of  their  sides  till  the 
ground  was  full  of  it.  So  they  left  that  island 
in  haste  and  as  if  out  of  their  wits,  and  they 
did  not  know  where  in  the  world  were  they 
going,  or  in  what  place  they  would  find  help 
or  land  or  country. 

THE  FIERY  Then  they  came  to  another 
PIGS  island,  and  they  worn  out 

with  hunger  and  thirst,  sad  and  tired  without 
hope  of  relief.  And  in  that  island  there  were 
a  great  many  fruit  trees,  having  large  golden 
apples  upon  them.  And  there  were  beasts 
like  pigs,  short  and  fiery,  under  those  trees, 
and  they  used  to  go  to  the  trees  and  to 

91 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

strike  them  with  theirhindlegs  till  the  apples 
would  fall  from  them,  and  then  they  would 
feed  on  them.  And  from  morning  to  the 
setting  of  the  sun  those  beasts  did  not  show 
themselvesat  all, but  theyusedtobestopping 
in  caves  of  the  ground.  And  round  about 
that  island  there  were  a  great  many  birds  out 
on  the  waves;  from  matins  to  nones  they 
used  to  be  swimming  away  from  the  island, 
but  from  nones  to  vespers  they  used  to  come 
back  towards  the  island  and  they  would  reach 
to  it  at  the  going  down  of  the  sun  ;  and  then 
they  used  to  be  stripping  off  the  apples  and 
to  be  eating  them.  'Let  us  go  into  the  island 
where  those  birds  are'  said  Maeldune,  'for  it 
is  not  harder  for  us  to  go  there  than  for  the 
birds.'  One  of  his  men  went  to  search  the 
island  then, and  he  calledhis  comradetohim. 
It  is  hot  the  ground  was  under  their  feet,  and 
they  could  not  stop  there  because  of  the 
heat,  for  it  was  a  fiery  country,  and  the  beasts 
used  to  throw  out  heat  into  the  ground  that 
was  over  them.  They  brought  away  a  few  of 
the  apples  with  them  that  first  day  to  be 
eating  in  the  currach.  And  with  the  bright- 
ness of  the  morning  the  birds  went  from  the 
island,  swimming  out  to  sea ;  and  with  that  the 
fiery  beasts  began  putting  up  their  heads  out 

92 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

of  the  caves,  and  they  were  eating  the  apples 
until  the  setting  of  the  sun.  And  when  they 
would  go  back  into  the  caves,  the  birds  used 
to  come  and  to  be  eating  the  apples.  And 
iMaeldune  went  and  his  people  and  they 
gathered  up  all  theapplesthat  were  in  it  that 
night.  And  those  apples  drove  away  both 
ihunger  and  thirst  from  them,  and  they  filled 
Itheir  boat  with  them,  and  put  out  again  to 
isea. 

THE  LITTLE  And  when  those  apples 
CAT  failed  them, and  their  hun- 

ger wasgreatand  their  thirst,  and  when  their 
'mouths  and  their  nostrils  were  full  of  the 
salt  of  the  sea,  they  got  sight  of  an  island  that 
jwas  no  great  size,  having  a  dun  in  it,  and  a 
ihigh  wall  around  the  dun,  as  white  as  if  it 
!was  built  of  burned  lime,  or  as  if  it  was  all 
|One  rock  of  chalk,  and  it  is  great  its  height 
(Was  from  the  sea  and  it  all  to  reached  to  the 
clouds.  The  dun  was  wide  open,  and  there 
were  many  new  white  houses  around  it.  And 
when  Maeldune  and  his  men  went  into  the 
best  of  the  houses  they  saw  no  one  in  it  but  a 
little  cat  that  was  in  the  middle  of  the  house, 
iand  it  playing  about  on  the  four  stone  pillars 
jthat  were  there,  and  leaping  from  one  to 
another.  It  looked  at  the  men  for  a  short 

93 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

space,  but  it  did  not  stop  from  its  play.  After 
that  they  saw  three  rows  on  the  wall  of  the 
house  round  about,  from  one  doorpost  to 
another ;  the  first  was  a  row  of  brooches  of 
gold  and  silver,  and  their  pins  in  the  wall, 
and  the  second  was  a  row  of  collars  of  gold 
and  of  silver,  every  one  of  them  like  the  hoops 
of  a  vat;  and  the  third  row  was  of  great 
swords  having  hilts  of  gold  and  of  silver. 
And  the  rooms  were  full  of  white  coverings 
and  of  shining  clothes,andtherewasa  roasted 
ox  and  a  fire  in  the  middle  of  the  house,  and 
large  vessels  with  good  fermented  drink.  *Is 
it  for  us  this  is  left  here?'  said  Maeldune  to 
the  cat.  It  looked  at  him  for  a  minute  and 
took  to  its  playing  again,  and  Maelduneknew 
then  it  was  for  them  the  feast  had  been  left. 
So  they  eat  and  they  drank  and  they  slept, 
and  they  stored  up  what  was  left  of  the  food 
and  of  the  drink.  And  when  they  thought  of 
going,  Maeldune's  third  fosterbrother  said 
to  him  'Might  I  bring  away  with  me  a  neck- 
lace of  these  necklaces?'  *Do  not'  said  Mael- 
dune,'for  it  is  not  without  a  guard  this  house 
is.'  But  in  spite  of  that  he  brought  it  with 
him  as  far  as  the  middle  of  the  dun.  And  the 
cat  came  after  him  and  leaped  through  him  i 
like  a  fiery  arrow  and  burned  him  till  he  was 

94 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

1 

but  ashes,  and  it  made  a  leap  back  again  to 
its  pillar.  Maeldune  quieted  the  cat  then 
with  his  words,  and  he  put  back  the  neck- 
lace in  its  place,  and  cleared  away  the  ashes 
jfrom  the  floor,  and  threw  them  on  the  shore 
lof  the  sea.  And  then  they  went  back  into 
the  currach,  praising  and  making  much  of 
|the  Lord. 

iTHE  WAR  OF  Early  on  the  morning  of 
iCOLOURS  the  third  day  after  that, 

theysawanother  island  havinga  wall  of  brass 
lOver  the  middle  of  it,  that  divided  it  in  two 
parts ;  and  they  saw  great  flocks  of  sheep  in 
it,  a  black  flock  on  the  near  side  of  the  fence 
ind  a  white  flock  on  the  far  side,  and  they 
^aw  a  big  man  separating  the  flocks.  When 
he  used  to  throw  a  white  sheep  over  the  near 
liide  of  the  fence  to  the  black  sheep,  it  would 
:urn  to  black  on  the  moment;  and  when  he 
|jsed  to  throw  a  black  sheep  over  the  fence 
l:o  the  far  side,  it  would  turn  to  white  in  the 
l;ameway.  There  was  dread  on  the  men  when 
i.hey  saw  that.  ^It  is  best  for  us'  said  Mael- 
jiune  ^to  throw  two  rods  into  the  island,  and 
f  they  change  their colourwe  willknow  that 
)urown  colourwould  change.'  So  they  threw 
|i  rod  having  black  bark  on  the  side  where 
lie  white  sheep  were,  and  it  turned  to  white 

95 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 


there  and  then.  Then  they  threw  a  peeled 
white  rod  on  the  side  where  the  black  sheep 
were,  and  it  turned  toblack.  *That  isno  good 
sign'  said  Maeldune ;  'and  let  us  not  land  on 
the  island.  It  is  likely  our  own  colour  would 
have  lasted  no  better  than  the  colour  of  the 
rods.'  They  went  back  from  the  island  then 
with  a  great  fear  upon  them. 
THE  WEIGHTY  On  the  third  day  after 
CALVES  that  they  took  notice  of 

another  island,  large  and  wide,  and  a  herd  in 
it  of  beautiful  pigs,  and  they  killed  a  young 
pig  of  them.  But  it  was  too  weighty  for  them 
to  lift  it,  so  they  all  came  around  it  and 
washed  it  and  brought  it  into  their  boat. 
Then  they  saw  a  great  mountain  on  the  is- 
land, and  Diuran  the  half-poet  and  German 
had  a  mind  to  go  and  to  view  the  island  from 
it.  And  when  they  came  to  the  mountain, 
they  found  before  them  a  broad  river  that  Ifr 
wasnotdeep;  and  German  dipped thehandle 
of  his  spear  in  the  river  and  it  was  spent  on 
the  moment,  as  if  fire  had  burned  it,  and  so 
they  went  no  farther.  They  saw  them  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river  great  hornless  oxen 
lying  down  and  a  very  big  man  sitting  with  ifc 
them ;  and  German  struck  his  spearshaft  jpt 
against  his  shield  to  frighten  the  cattle.  *Why  b 

96 


HI 

Oi 

tk 
til 
in 

k 


Ci 

Tl 
0: 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

would  you  frighten  these  foohsh  calves?' 
said  the  big  herdsman.  'Where  are  the  dams 
i  of  these  calves?'  said  German.  'They  are  on 
I  the  other  side  of  the  mountain  beyond'  said 
he.  The  two  of  them  went  back  then  to  their 
comrades,  and  told  them  that  news,  and  they 
said  they  would  not  go  into  the  island,  and 
they  all  went  away. 

THE  After  that  they  foundanother  island, 
MILL  and  a  great  big  ugly  mill  in  it,  and  a 
miller,  rough  and  uglyandwithered,  and  they 
asked  him  what  mill  was  this.  'It  is  the  mill 
iof  thelnverof  Trecenand'said  he  'and  every- 
jthing  that  is  begrudged  is  ground  in  it ;  and 
the  half  of  the  corn  of  this  country  is  ground 
in  this  mill'  he  said.  With  that  they  saw 
iheavy  loads  past  all  counting,  and  men  and 
ihorses  under  them,  coming  to  the  mill  and 
igoing  from  it  again ;  and  all  that  was  brought 
from  it  was  carried  away  westward.  And 
jvvhen  they  heard  and  saw  those  things  they 
jblessed  themselves  with  the  sign  of  Christ's 
pross  and  went  again  into  their  currach. 
irHE  ISLAND  When  they  went  nowfrom 
'JF  KEENING  the  island  of  the  mill,  they 
!x)und  a  very  large  island  and  a  great  host  of 
people  in  it.  Black  they  were,  both  in  their 
)odies  and  their  clothing,andthey  hadbands 

97  o 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

around  their  heads, and  theycryingand  ever- 
crying.  And  a  lot  fell  by  misfortune  on  one 
of  thetwofosterbrothersof  Maeldunetoland 
on  the  island.  And  no  sooner  did  he  reach  to 
the  people  that  were  crying  than  he  was  as  if 
one  of  them,  and  he  began  crying  and  la- 
menting the  same  as  themselves.  Then  two 
of  his  comrades  were  sent  to  bring  him  out 
of  that,  and  they  could  not  make  him  out 
from  the  rest,  and  they  bowed  themselves 
down  and  cried  along  with  them.  Then 
Maeldunesaid  *Let  four  of  you  go  with  your 
weapons  and  bring  back  our  men  by  force; 
and  do  not  look  at  the  ground  or  in  the  air, 
and  put  your  cloaks  over  your  nostrils  and 
over  your  mouths,and  do  not  breathe  the  air 
of  the  place,  and  do  not  take  your  eyes  off 
your  own  men.'  So  the  four  went  the  way  he 
told  them  and  they  brought  back  with  them 
the  other  two.  And  when  they  were  asked 
what  had  they  seen  in  that  country  they 
would  say  *We  do  not  know  that ;  but  what 
we  saw  others^doing,  we  did, the  same.'  And 
they  made  haste  to  go  awayfrom  that  island. 
THE  FOUR-  They  came  after  that 

FENCED  ISLAND  to  another  high  island, 
having  four  fences  in  it  that  divided  it  into 
four  parts.  It  is  of  gold  the  first  fence  was, 

98 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

and  another  was  of  silver,  and  the  third  was 
brazen  and  the  fourth  of  crystal.  Kings  there 
were  in  the  one  division,  and  queens  in  an- 
other; fighting  men  in  another  and  young 
girls  in  the  last.  And  one  of  the  young  girls 
went  to  meet  them  and  brought  them  to  land 
and  gave  them  food  that  had  the  likeness  of 
cheese,  and  whatever  taste  was  pleasing  to 
anyone,  he  wouldfind  that  tasteupon  it.  And 
she  gave  them  drink  from  a  little  vessel,  so 
that  they  slept  in  drunkenness  for  three  days 
and  three  nights,and  all  that  time  the  young 
girl  was  attending  to  them.  And  when  they 
awoke  on  the  third  day  they  were  in  their 
boat  at  sea,  and  the  island  and  the  girl  no- 
where tobe  seen.  Andso  they  went  on  rowing. 
THE  WOMAN  Then  they  came  to  an- 

WITH  THE  PAIL  other  Httle  island,  hav- 
ing a  dun  in  it  with  a  door  of  brass,  and  bolts 
of  brass  on  the  door.  And  there  was  a  bridge 
of  crystal  to  the  door,  and  when  they  used  to 
go  upon  that  bridge  they  would  fall  down 
backwards.  Then  theysaw  a  woman  coming 
out  from  the  dun,  and  a  pail  in  her  hand, 
;  and  she  lifted  a  slab  of  glass  out  from  the 
bottom  of  the  bridge,  and  she  filled  the  pail 
from  the  well  that  was  under  the  bridge,  and 
went  back  again  into  the  dun.  Tt  is  a  house- 

99 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

keeper  coming  for  Maeldune'  said  German. 
'Maeldune  indeed  !'  said  she  and  she  shut  the 
door  after  her.  They  began  then  striking  the 
fastenings  and  the  net  of  brass  that  was  be- 
fore them, and  thesoundof  themmade  sweet 
quieting  musicthat  put  theminto  their  sleep 
until  the  morningofthemorrow.  When  they 
awoke  they  saw  the  same  woman  coming 
out  of  the  dun,  and  her  pail  in  her  hand,  and 
she  filled  it  under  the  same  slab.  'I  tell  you  it 
is  a  housekeeper  for  Maeldune'  said  German. 
'It  is  much  I  think  of  Maeldune  !'  said  she, 
shutting  the  door  of  the  liss  after  her.  And 
when  they  struck  at  the  door,  the  same  music 
put  them  lying  in  their  sleep  till  the  morrow. 
They  were  that  way  through  the  length  of 
three  days  and  three  nights;  and  on  the 
fourth  day  the  woman  came  to  them,  and  it 
is  beautiful  she  was  coming.  A  white  cloak 
she  had  on  her,  and  a  band  of  gold  about  her 
hair  that  was  golden  ;  two  sandals  of  silver 
on  her  white-purple  feet ;  a  brooch  of  silver 
with  bosses  of  gold  in  her  cloak,  a  fine  silk 
shirt  next  her  white  skin.  'My  welcome  to 
you  Maeldune'  said  she,  and  she  gave  every 
man  of  them  all  his  own  name.  'It  is  long  we 
have  had  knowledge  and  understanding  of 
yourcominghere'she  said.  Thenshebrought 

I  GO 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

them  with  her  into  a  great  house  that  stood 
near  the  sea,  and  they  drew  up  their  currach 
on  the  strand.  And  they  saw  before  them  in 
the  house  a  bed  for  Maeldune  alone,  and  a 
bed  for  every  three  of  his  people.  And  she 
brought  them  in  a  basket  food  that  was 
like  curds,  and  she  gave  ashare  to  every  three, 
and  whatever  taste  they  wished  to  find  on  it 
they  would  find  it ;  and  as  to  Maeldune  she 
served  him  by  himself.  And  she  filled  her 
pail  under  the  same  slab  and  gave  them  out 
drink,  the  full  of  it  for  every  three.  And  then 
she  knew  they  had  had  their  fill  and  she 
stopped  from  giving  it  out  to  them.  'A  fit- 
ting wife  for  Maeldune  this  woman  wouldbe' 
said  every  one  of  his  people.  She  went  away 
from  them  then,  and  her  vessel  and  her  pail 
with  her ;  and  Maeldune's  peoplesaidto  him 
'Will  we  ask  her  would  she  maybe  be  your 
wife  ?'  'What  harm  would  it  do  you'  said  he 
'to  speak  to  her  .? '  So  when  she  came  on  the 
morrow  they  said  to  her  'Will  you  give  your 
friendship  to  Maeldune  and  be  his  wife.r* 
And  why  wouldyou  not  stop  hereto-night  ?' 
they  said.  But  she  said  she  did  not  know  and 
had  never  known  what  marriage  was ;  and 
she  went  from  them  to  her  own  house. 
On  the  morrow  at  the  same  time  she  came 

lOI 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

to  them ;  and  when  they  had  drunk  and  were 
satisfied  they  said  the  same  words  to  her. 
'To-morrow'  shesaid  'you  will  get  an  answer 
to  that.'  She  went  to  her  own  house  then, 
and  theywentasleepon  theirbeds.  And  when 
they  awoke  they  were  in  their  currach  on  a 
rock,  and  they  did  not  see  the  island  or  the 
woman  or  the  place  where  they  had  been. 
THE  SOUND  And  as  they  went  on  they 
LIKE  PSALMS  heard  in  the  north-east  a 
great  shout  and  what  was  like  the  singing  of 
psalms.  And  that  night  and  the  next  day  un- 
til nones,  they  were  rowing  till  they  could 
know  what  was  that  shout  or  that  singing. 
Then  they  saw  an  island  having  high  moun- 
tains full  of  birds,  black  and  brown  and 
speckled,  calling  and  crying  out  very  loud. 
THE  SOD  FROM  They  went  on  a  little 
IRELAND  from    that    island,   and 

they  found  another  island  of  no  great  size, 
and  a  great  many  trees  in  it,  and  on  them 
many  birds.  And  in  the  island  they  saw  a 
man  and  he  clothed  with  his  own  hair,  and 
they  asked  who  was  he  and  what  was  his 
race.  'It  is  of  the  men  of  Ireland  I  am'  he 
said  'and  I  went  on  my  pilgrimage  in  a  little 
currach,  and  my  currach  split  under  me  when 
I  was  gone  alittle  wayfrom  land ;  and  I  went 

I02 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

back  again  to  the  land'  he  said  'and  I  put 
under  my  feet  a  sod  of  my  own  country,  and 
on  it  I  went  out  to  sea.  And  the  Lord  settled 
down  that  sod  for  me  in  this  place'  he  said 
'and  it  is  he  adds  a  foot  to  its  breadth  every 
year  from  that  time  to  this,  and  a  tree  every 
year  to  grow  from  it.  And  the  birds  you  see 
in  the  trees'  hesaid  'are  the  souls  of  my  child- 
ren and  my  kindred,  women  and  men,  that 
are  there  waiting  for  the  day  of  judgment. 
Half  a  cake,  and  a  bit  of  a  fish,  and  a  drink 
from  the  well,  God  has  given  me ;  and  that 
comes  to  me  every  day'  he  said  'through  the 
service  of  angels.  And  besides  that'  hesaid, 
'at  the  hour  of  nones  another  half  a  cake  and 
a  bit  of  a  fish  come  to  every  man  and  to  every 
woman  over  there,  and  a  drink  out  of  the 
well  that  is  enough  for  everyone.'  And  when 
their  three  nights  of  feasting  were  at  an  end 
they  bade  that  man  farewell,  and  he  said  to 
them' You  will  allreachtoyour  own  country' 
he  said  'but  one  man  only.' 
THE  WELL  OF  The  third  day  after  that 
NOURISHMENT  they  found  another  is- 
I  land,  and  a  golden  wall  around  it,  and  the 
middle  of  it  as  white  as  feathers ;  and  a  man  in 
it,  and  it  is  what  he  was  clothed  in,  the  hair 
of  his  own  body.  They  asked  him  then  what 

103 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

nourishment  he  used.  'Iwilltellyouthetruth* 
he  said  'there  is  a  well  in  this  island,  and  on  a 
Friday  and  on  aWednesdaywhey  or  water  is 
given  out  from  it,  and  on  Sunday  and  on  the 
feasts  of  martyrs  it  is  good  milk  is  given  out. 
But  on  the  feasts  of  the  apostles  and  of  Mary 
and  John  Baptist,  andonthehigh  times  of  the 
year,  it  is  beer  and  wine  that  it  gives  out.'  At 
nones  then  there  came  to  every  man  of  them 
a  cake  and  a  bit  of  a  fish,  and  they  drank  their 
fill  ofwhat  came  to  them  out  of  the  well.  And 
it  cast  them  into  a  sleep  of  sleeping  from  that 
time  until  the  morrow.  And  at  the  end  of 
three  nights  the  clerk  bade  them  to  go  on. 
So  they  went  on  their  way  and  bade  him 
farewell. 

THE  SMITHS  And  when  they  hadbeen 

AT  THE  FORGE  a  long  time  on  thewaves 
they  saw  an  island  a  long  way  off,  and  as  they 
came  near  it  they  heard  the  noise  of  smiths 
striking  iron  on  the  anvil  with  hammers,  like 
the  striking  of  three  or  four  itwas.  Andwhen 
they  came  near  they  heard  one  man  say  to 
another'Are  theynearus?'  'They  arenearus' 
said  the  other.  'Who  do  you  say  are  coming?' 
said  anotherman.  'Littleladsthey  seem  tobe 
in  a  little  trough  beyond'  said  he.  When 
Maeldune  heardwhat  thesmithsweresaying 

104 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

'Let  us  go  back'  he  said ;  'and  let  us  not  turn 
the  boat  butlet  her  sternbeforemost,  the  way 
they  will  not  know  us  to  be  making  away 
from  them.'  Theyrowed  awaythen,  and  the 
sternof  theboatforemost.  And  thesameman 
said  to  the  other  in  the  forge  'Are  they  near 
the  harbournow?'  'Theyare  notstirring'said 
the  man  that  was  looking  out.  'They  do  not 
come  here  and  they  do  not  go  there'  he  said. 
Itwasnotlongafterthatheaskedagain'What 
are  they  doingnow?'  'It  is  whati  think'  said 
the  man  that  was  looking  out  'that  they  are 
making  away,  for  they  are  farther  from  the 
port  now  than  they  were  a  while  ago.'  Then 
the  smith cameoutfrom  theforge  and  agreat 
lump  of  red-hot  iron  in  the  tongs  in  his  hand, 
and  he  threw  it  after  the  boat  into  the  sea, 
and  the  whole  of  the  sea  boiled  up;  but  the 
iron  did  not  reach  to  the  currach,  for  they 
made  away  with  their  whole  strength  quickly 
and  with  no  delay  into  the  great  ocean. 
THE  VERY  They  went  on  after  that  till 
CLEAR  SEA  they  came  to  a  sea  that  was 
like  glass,  and  so  clear  it  was  that  the  gravel 
and  the  sand  of  thesea  could  be  seen  through 
it,  and  they  saw  no  beasts  or  no  monsters  at 
all  among  therocks,but  only  the  clean  gravel 
and  the  grey  sand.  And  through  a  great  part 

105  p 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

of  the  day  they  were  going  over  that  sea,  and 
it  is  very  grand  it  v^as  and  beautiful. 
THE  SEA  Then  they  put  out  into  an- 

LIKEAMIST  other  sea  that  was  hke  a 
cloud,  and  itseemedtothem  that  it  couldnot 
support  themselves  or  thecurrach.  Andafter 
that  they  saw  below  them  walled  duns  and  a 
beautiful  country.  And  they  saw  a  great  ter- 
rible beast  there, and  he  in  a  tree ;  and  a  herd 
of  cattle  round  about  the  tree,  and  a  man  be- 
side it,  having  shield  and  spear  and  sword; 
and  when  he  saw  the  great  beast  that  was  in 
the  tree  he  made  away  on  the  moment.  And 
the  beast  stretched  out  its  neck  and  stooped 
his  head  to  the  back  of  the  ox  that  was  big- 
gest of  the  herd,  and  dragged  it  into  the  tree 
and  had  it  eaten  in  the  winking  of  an  eye. 
On  that  the  flocks  and  the  herdsman  made 
away ;  and  when  Maeldune  and  his  people 
saw  it  there  was  greater  dread  again  on  them, 
for  they  thought  they  would  never  cross  that 
sea  without  slipping  down  through  it,  and  it 
as  thin  as  a  mist.  But  they  got  away  over  it 
after  great  danger. 

THE  PELTING  After  that  they  found  an- 
WITH  NUTS  other  island,  and  the  sea 
rose  up  around  it  making  great  cliffs  of  water 
on  every  side.  And  when  the  people  of  that 

1 06 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

country  saw  them,  they  began  screaming  at 
them  and  saying  'It  is  they  themselves  !  It  is 
they  themselves!'  tilltheywere  out  of  breath, 
Then  Maeldune  and  his  men  sawa  great  many 
people  and  great  herds  of  cattle  and  of  horses 
and  a  great  many  flocks  of  sheep.  Then  a 
v\^oman began  pelting  them  frombelow^  with 
great  nutsthat  stoppedfloating  on  the  waves 
about  them,  and  they  gathered  up  a  good 
share  of  those  nuts  to  bring  away  with  them. 
J  And  then  they  went  back  from  the  island, 
I  andw'ith  that  the  screams  came  to  an  end. 
i!  'Where  are  they  now?'  they  heard  a  man 
ij  saying  that  was  coming  towards  them  at  the 
I  time  of  the  screams.  'They  are  gone  away' 
I  said  another  of  them.  *Theyare  not'  said  an- 
I  other.  It  is  likely  now  the  people  of  that  is- 
land hada  prophecy  therewouldsomeperson 
come  that  would  destroy  their  country  and 
drive  them  away  out  of  it. 
THE  SALMON  They  went  on  then  to 
STREAM  another    island  where   a 

strange  thing  was  showed  to  them,  a  great 
stream  that  rose  up  out  of  the  strand,  and  that 
went  like  a  bow  of  heaven  over  the  whole  of 
[the  island,  and  came  down  into  the  strand  on 
the  other  side.  And  they  were  going  under 
the  stream withoutgetting  any  wet,and  they 

107 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

werepiercingthestreamabove,  and  very  large 
salmon  were  fallingfrom  thestream  aboveon 
to  the  ground  of  the  island.  And  the  whole 
of  the  island  was  full  of  the  smell  of  the  salmon , 
for  there  was  no  one  could  come  to  an  end  of 
taking  them  because  of  their  number.  And 
fromtheeveningof  Sunday  until thefull  light 
of  the  Monday  that  stream  did  not  move,  but 
stopped  in  its  silence  where  it  was  in  the  sea. 
Then  they  brought  together  the  biggest  of 
thesalmoninto  one  place,  and  they  filled  their 
currach  with  them  and  went  away  over  the 
ocean. 

THE  SILVER-  They  went  on  then  till 
MESHED  NET  they  found  a  great  silver 
pillar;  four  sides  it  had  and  the  width  of 
each  of  the  sides  was  two  strokes  of  an  oar ; 
and  there  was  not  one  sod  of  earth  about  it, 
but  only  the  endless  ocean  ;  and  they  could 
not  see  what  way  it  was  below,  and  they 
could  not  see  what  way  the  top  of  it  was  be- 
cause of  its  height.  There  was  a  silver  net 
from  the  top  of  it  that  spreadout  a  long  way 
on  every  side,  and  the  currach  went  under 
sail  through  ameshof  thatnet.  ThenDiuran 
gave  a  blow  of  his  spear  at  the  mesh.  'Do 
not  destroy  the  net'  said  Maeldune  'for  we 
are  looking  at  the  work  of  great  men.'  'It  is 

io8 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

for  the  praise  of  God's  name  I  am  doing  it' 
said  Diuran  'the  way  my  story  will  be  the 
better  believed ;  and  it  is  to  the  altar  of  Ard- 
macha  I  will  give  this  mesh  of  the  net  if  I 
get  back  to  Ireland.'  Two  ounces  and  a  half 
now  was  the  weight  ofit  when  it  was  measured 
after  in  Ardmacha.  They  heard  then  a 
voice  from  the  top  of  the  pillar  very  loud  and 
clear,  but  they  did  not  know  in  what  strange 
language  it  was  speaking  or  what  word  it 
said. 

THE  DOOR  They  saw  then  another 

UNDER  LOCKS  island  having  one  foot 
supporting  it.  And  they  rowed  around  look- 
ing for  a  way  to  come  into  it  and  finding 
none ;  but  they  saw  down  at  the  bottom  of 
the  foot  a  closed  door  under  locks,  and  they 
understood  it  was  by  that  way  the  island  was 
entered.  Andtheysawaploughon  theheight 
of  the  island,  but  they  spoke  with  no  one  and 
no  one  spoke  with  them  and  they  went  on 
their  way. 

THE  BALL  They  came  after  that  to  an 

OF  THREAD  island  having  a  great  plain 
in  it,  without  any  heath  but  smooth  and 
grassy.  And  they  saw  a  great  dun  near  the 
sea, high  and  strong, and  alargehouse, roofed 
and  having  good  beds  in  it,  and  seventeen 

109 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

girls  were  in  it  making  ready  a  bath.  They 
landed  then  on  that  island  and  sat  down  on 
a  hill  before  the  gate  of  the  dun,  and  it  is 
what  Maeldune  said  :  'We  may  be  sure  it  is 
for  us  that  bath  is  being  made  ready.'  At 
the  hour  of  |nones  they  saw  a  woman  on  a 
horse  of  victory  coming  to  the  dun.  A  well 
ornamented  cloth  she  had  under  her,  and 
a  blue  embroidered  hood  on  her  head  ;  a 
fringed  crimson  cloak,  gloves  worked  with 
gold  on  her  hands  and  beautiful  sandals 
on  her  feet.  As  she  got  down  one  of  the 
young  girls  took  her  horse,  and  she  went  in 
then  to  the  dun  and  into  the  bath.  And 
it  was  not  long  until  a  girl  of  the  girls 
came  to  them.  'Your  coming  is  welcome' 
she  said  'and  come  now  into  the  dun,  it  is 
the  queen  is  asking  you.'  So  they  went  into 
the  dun  and  they  all  washed  in  the  bath; 
and  after  that  the  queen  was  sitting  on  one 
side  of  the  house  and  her  seventeen  girls 
around  her;  and  Maeldune  was  sitting  on  the 
other  side,  near  the  queen,  and  his  seventeen 
men  around  him.  Then  a  dish  of  good  food 
was  brought  to  Maeldune,  and  a  vessel  of 
glass  that  was  full  of  good  drink,  and  a  dish 
and  a  vessel  for  every  three  of  his  people.  And 
they  all  stopped  there  that  night  in  the  seven- 
no 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

teen  covered  rooms  of  the  house  and  Mael- 
idune  slept  with  the  queen.  And  when  they 
rose  up  in  the  morning  the  queen  said  'Let 
you  stop  here'  she  said  'and  age  will  not  fall 
[on  you  beyond  the  age  you  are  found  in  at 
|this  time;  and  you  will  have  lasting  hfe  for 
ever'  she  said  'and  what  you  got  last  night 
.you  willgetfor  ever  without  any  labour ;  and 
igive  up  this  wandering  from  island  to  island 
of  the  sea'  she  said.  'Tell  us'  said  Maeldune 
'what  way  are  you  here?'  'It  is  not  hard  to 
.say  that'  she  said.  'There  was  a  good  man  in 
ithis  place,  the  king  of  the  island ;  and  I  bore 
him  seventeen  daughters,  and  I  was  their 
mother.  And  then  he  died  and  left  no  man 
to  inherit  after  him,  and  I  myself  took  the 
iikingship  of  the  island.  And  every  day'  she 
;said  'I  go  into  the  great  plain  there  beyond  to 
jgive  out  judgments  and  to  settle  the  disputes 
of  the  people.'  'Why  would  you  go  from  us 
|to-day?'  said  Maeldune.  'Unless  I  go'  she 
isaid  'what  happened  us  last  night  will  not 
(happen  us  again.  And  you  may  stop  in  your 
'house'  she  said,  'and  there  is  no  need  for  you 
|to  work,  and  I  will  go  judge  the  people  on 
ibehalf  of  you.'  They  stopped  in  that  island 
through  the  three  months  of  the  winter, 
and  they  seemed  to  them  to  be  three  years. 

Ill 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

'It  is  long  we  are  here'  said  a  man  of  Mael- 
dune's  people  to  him  then.  'And  why  do  we 
not  go  back  to  our  own  country?'  he  said. 
'What  you  are  saying  is  not  right'  said 
Maeldune  'for  we  will  not  find  in  our  own 
country  any  better  thing  than  what  we  are 
getting  here.'  His  people  began  to  murmur 
greatly  against  him  then,  and  it  is  what  they 
said:  'It  is  great  love  he  has  for  his  wife. 
And  let  him  stop  w^ith  her  if  he  has  a  mind* 
they  said'and  we  willgo  to  our  own  country.' 
'I  will  not  stop  here  after  you' said  Maeldune. 
One  day  now  the  queen  went  to  the  judging 
where  she  went  every  day,  and  no  sooner  was 
she  gone  than  they  went  into  their  currach. 
But  she  came  on  her  horse  and  she  threw  a 
ball  of  thread  after  them,  and  Maeldune 
caught  it,  and  it  held  to  hishand,and  a  thread 
of  the  ball  was  in  her  own  hand,  and  she  drew 
back  the  boat  to  the  harbour  and  to  herself 
with  that  thread.  They  stopped  withher  then 
for  another  three  months,  and  then  they 
made  away  and  she  brought  them  back  with 
a  thread  the  same  as  she  did  before,  and  three 
times  that  happened  to  them.  And  they 
consulted  among  themselves  then  and  it  is 
what  they  said:  'It  is  certain'  they  said  'it  is 
greatlove  Maeldune  has  for  this  woman;  and 

112 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

it  is  by  reason  of  that  he  catches  the  ball  of 

thread  the  way  it  will  hold  to  his  hand,  and 

the  way  wewill  be  brought  back  to  the  dun.' 

'  'Let  someotherone  take  thethread  next  time' 

I  said  Maeldune ;  'and  if  it  holds  in  his  hand 

I  let  the  hand  be  cut  off  him'  he  said.  So  they 

went  on  then  to  their  boat,  and  the  queen 

j  came  and  she  threw  the  ball  after  them,  and 

i  some  man  in  the  currach  caught  it,  and  it 

s|  held  to  his  hand.   Then  Diuran  struck  his 

(i  hand  off,  and  it  fell  and  the  thread  with  it 

i  into  the  sea.  And  when  the  queen  saw  that 

'  she  began  to  cry  and  to  call  out  till  the  whole 

island  was  one  loud  cry  and  one  lament.  And 

in  that  way  they  made  their  escape  from  her 

out  of  the  island. 

THE  SALLEY     For  a  long  while  after  that 

I  TREES  they  were  driven  about  on 

I  the  waves,  till  they  found  an  island  having 

trees  on  it  like  salley  trees  or  hazel,  and  large 

i  wonderful  berries  on  the  trees.  So  they  strip- 

;  ped  a  little  tree  and  they  cast  lots  who  should 

try  theberries,andthelotfellupon Maeldune. 

'Hesqueezedsomeof  the  berries  then  into  the 

vessel  and  drank,  and  it  put  him  into  a  deep 

sleep  from  that  hour  to  the  same  hour  on  the 

I  morrow ;  and  they  did  not  know  was  he  alive 

or  dead,  and  the  red  foam  around  his  lips,  till 

113  Q 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

he  awoke  on  the  morrow.  He  said  to  them 
then  'Let  you  gather  '  he  said  'this  fruit,  for 
it  is  great  the  good  there  is  in  it.'  So  they 
gathered  all  there  was  of  it,  and  they  were 
squeezing  it  and  filling  all  the  vessels  they  had 
with  them,  and  they  mixed  water  with  the 
juice  to  lessen  the  sleep  of  its  drunkenness. 
And  after  that  was  done  they  rowed  away 
from  that  island. 

THE  BIRD  THAT  Afterthattheystopped 
GOT  BACK  ITS  at  another  large  island, 
YOUTH  the  one  side  of  it  a  wood 

having  yews  and  great  oaks  in  it,  and  the  other 
side  a  plain  having  a  little  lake ;  and  they  saw 
great  flocks  of  sheep  on  the  plain.  And  they 
sawa  little  church  anda  dun  andthey  went  to 
the  church,  and  there  was  an  old  grey  priest 
in  it,  and  he  clothed  entirely  in  his  own  hair. 
'Eatnowyourfillof  thesheep'he  said 'and  do 
not  use  more  than  isenough. '  So  they  stopped 
there  for  a  while,  and  fed  upon  the  flesh  of  the 
sheep.  One  daynow  as  they  werelookingout 
from  the  island,  they  saw  a  cloud  coming  to- 
wards them  from  the  south-west.  And  after 
a  while  as  they  were  looking  they  knew  it  to 
be  abird,for  they  could  see  its  wings  moving. 
Then  it  came  into  the  island  and  lit  upon  a 
hill  near  the  lake,and  itis  whatthey  thought, 

114 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

it  would  carry  them  in  its  claws  out  to  sea. 
And  it  had  with  it  a  branch  of  a  great  tree, 
and  the  branch  was  bigger  than  one  of  the 
greatoaks,andit  had  twigs  on  it,  and  a  plenty 
of  heavy  fruit,  and  the  top  of  it  full  of  fresh 
leaves.  And  Maeldune  and  his  men  were  in 
hiding  watching  what  would  the  bird  do. 
And  by  reason  that  it  was  tired  it  stopped 
quiet  for  a  while,  and  then  it  began  to  eat  the 
fruitof  the  tree.  So  Maeldune  went  on  till  he 
was  at  the  edge  of  the  hill  where  the  bird  was, 
to  see  would  it  do  him  any  harm,  and  it  did 
not  meddle  with  him,  and  then  all  his  people 
followed  him  to  that  place.  'Let  one  of  us  go' 
said  Maeldune  'and  gather  some  of  the  fruit 
that  is  before  the  bird.'  So  a  man  of  them 
went  then  and  he  gathered  a  share  of  the 
berries,  and  the  bird  made  no  complaint  and 
did  not  look  at  him  or  make  any  stir  at  all. 
And  then  all  of  them  went  behindit, and  their 
shields  with  them,  and  it  did  them  no  harm. 
Andtowards  the  hour  of  nones  they  saw  two 
eagles  in  the  south-west,  in  the  same  quarter 
the  great  bird  had  come  from,  and  they 
pitched  in  front  of  the  great  bird.  And  when 
they  had  stopped  quiet  for  a  good  while  they 
began  to  take  off  the  lice  that  were  about  the 
great  bird's  jaws  and  its  eyes  and  its  ears. 

115 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE     V 

They  went  on  doing  that  till  vespers,  and 
the  three  of  them  began  to  eat  the  berries  of 
the  branch.  And  from  the  morning  of  the 
morrow  till  the  middle  of  the  day  they  were 
picking  at  the  great  bird  in  the  same  way, 
and  stripping  the  old  feathers  from  it  and  the 
scabs.  But  when  midday  came  they  began  to 
strip  the  berries  from  the  branch,  and  they 
were  crushing  them  against  the  stones  with 
their  beaks  and  throwing  them  into  the  lake 
till  the  foam  of  it  turned  to  be  red.  After  that 
the  great  bird  went  into  the  lake  and  he  was 
washing  himself  there  till  towards  the  end  of 
the  day.  After  that  he  went  out  of  the  lake 
andpitched  in  another  place  on  the  same  hill, 
the  way  the  lice  that  were  picked  out  of  him 
would  not  settle  on  him  again.  And  on  the 
morning  of  the  morrow  the  same  two  eagles 
dressed  and  smoothed  thefeathers  of  the  great 
bird  as  if  it  was  done  with  a  comb,  and  they 
kept  at  that  until  midday,  and  then  they  went 
away  the  same  way  as  they  had  come.  But 
the  great  bird  stopped  afterthemshaking  out 
his  wings  and  his  feathers  till  the  end  of  the 
third  day.  And  at  the  hour  of  tierce  on  the 
third  day  he  rose  up  and  flew  three  times 
round  the  island,  and  then  he  pitched  for  a 
little  rest  on  the  same  hill,  and  after  that  he 

ii6 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

1 

rose  and  wentaway  far  off  towards  the  south- 
west where  he  came  from,  and  it  is  swifter 
and  stronger  his  flight  was  that  time  than 
when  he  came.  They  all  knew  then  that  had 
I  been  his  renewing  from  old  age  to  youth,  after 
I  the  word  of  the  prophet  that  said  'Thy  youth 
shall  be  renewed  like  the  eagle's.'  It  is  then 
iDiuransaid, seeing  that  greatwonder,  'Let  us 
Igo'  he  said  'into  the  lake  to  renew  ourselves 
jthe  same  as  the  bird.'  'Do  not'  said  another 
i'for  the  bird  has  left  his  poison  in  it.'  'It  is 
inot  right  w^hat  you  are  saying'  said  Diuran 
I'and  I  will  go  into  it  first  myself  he  said.  He 
went  in  then  and  bathed  himself  there  and 
put  his  lips  into  the  water  and  he  drank 
isups  of  it.  It  is  young  and  strong  his  eyes 
iwere  after  that  so  long  as  he  was  living,  and 
ihe  never  lost  a  tooth  or  a  hair  from  his  head, 
|and  he  was  never  sick  or  sorry  from  that  out. 
iThey  bade  farewell  then  to  their  old  man 
land  they  took  a  share  of  the  sheep  with  them 
{forprovision,  and  then  they  put  out  their  boat 
jand  they  went  on  over  the  ocean. 
'the  LAUGH-  Then  they  found  another 
ING  PEOPLE  island,  and  a  wide  level 
plain  in  it,  and  a  great  crowd  of  people  on 
ithat  plain,  and  they  playing  and  laughing 
without  end.  They  cast  lots  then  who  would 

117 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

go  and  search  out  the  island,  and  the  lot  fell 
on  theheadof  the  thirdofMaeldune's  foster- 
brothers.  And  no  sooner  did  he  land  on  the 
island  than  he  began  to  play  and  to  laugh 
along  with  the  people  that  were  on  it,  as  if 
he  had  been  one  of  them  fromthebeginning. 
And  his  comrades  stopped  for  a  long  time 
waiting  for  him  and  he  never  came  back  to 
them ;  so  they  left  him  there. 
THE  FIRE-  After  that  they  saw 

WALLED  ISLAND  another  island  that 
was  no  great  size,  and  a  fiery  wall  round  about 
it,  and  that  wall  used  to  move  round  and 
round  the  island.  There  was  an  open  door, 
now,  in  the  side  of  the  wall,  and  whenever  the 
door  would  come  opposite  them,  they  used  to 
see  the  whole  island  and  all  that  was  in  it,  and 
all  the  people  of  it,  that  were  beautiful  and 
wearing  embroidered  clothes,  and  golden 
vessels  in  their  hands,  and  they  feasting.  And 
they  could  hear  the  ale-music  those  people 
were  making.  And  they  were  foralong  time 
looking  at  that  wonder,  and  it  is  delightful 
they  thought  it. 

THE  COVETOUS  They  were  not  long 
COOK  gone  from  that  island 

when  they  saw  far  off  among  the  waves  ashape 
like  awhitebird,  and  they  turned theprow  of 

ii8 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

the  boat  southward,  till  they  would  see  what 
was  it.  And  when  they  were  come  near  they 
saw  itwas  a  man,andheclothedonly  with  the 
white  hair  of  his  body,  and  he  was  throwing 
himself  and  stretching  himself  upon  a  wide 
irock.  When  they  were  come  to  him  they  asked 
a  blessing  of  him,  and  they  asked  where 
ihe  had  come  from  to  that  rock.  'It  is  from 
iToraig  I  am  come  surely'  he  said  'and  it  is  in 
jToraig  I  was  reared.  And  it  is  what  happened, 
I  was  a  cook  in  it,  and  it  is  a  bad  cook  I  was, 
iforl  used  to  be  selling  for  means  and  fortrea- 
'suresfor  myself  the  food  of  the  church  where 
I  was,  so  that  my  house  grew  to  be  full  of 
quilts  and  of  pillows  and  of  clothes,  both 
linen  and  woollen,  of  every  colour,  and  of 
pails  of  brass  and  of  silver,  and  brooches  of 
oilver  having  pins  of  gold,  the  way  there  was 
pothing  wanting  in  my  house  of  all  that  is 
jthought  much  of  by  men,  both  of  golden 
[books  and  of  bags  for  books,  that  were  orna- 
Imented  with  silver  and  gold.  And  I  used  to  be 
digging  under  the  houses  of  the  church,  and 
I  broughtmany  treasuresout  of  them ;  and  it 
lis  great  was  my  pride  and  my  boasting.  One 
;iay,  now,  I  was  bade  to  dig  a  grave  for  the 
;body  of  acountryman  that  had  been  brought 
into  theisland,andasl  wasatthegravel  heard 

119 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

avoice  that  was  coming  up  under  my  feet. 
"Do  not  dig  in  that  place"  it  said;  "Do  not 
put  the  body  of  a  sinner  upon  me,  a  holy, 
religiousperson."  "I  will  put  it  between  my- 
self and  God"  said  I  in  the  greatness  of  my 
pride.  "If  that  is  so"  said  the  voice  "your 
mouth  shallperish  on  the  third  day  from  this, 
and  it  is  in  hell  you  will  be,  and  the  body  will 
not  stop  here. ""What  good  willyou  give  meif 
I  do  not  lay  the  bodyuponyou?"  said  I.  "To 
havelastinglifewithGod"saidhe.  "How can 
Iknowthat?"saidI."Thatisnothardforyou" 
said  he.  "The  grave  you  are  digging  now  will 
be  full  of  sand,  and  it  will  be  showed  to  you 
by  that  you  cannot  lay  the  body  upon  me 
however  much  you  may  try;"  and  those  words 
were  hardly  said  when  the  grave  was  full  of 
sand.  So  after  that  I  buried  the  body  in  an- 
other place.  One  time,  now,  I  put  out  a  new 
currach,  having  red  hide  over  it,  on  the  sea. 
And  I  went  into  the  currach  and  I  was  well 
pleased  to  be  looking  about  me.  And  I  left 
nothing  in  my  house,  small  or  great,  without 
bringing  it  with  me,  of  vats  and  of  drinking 
vessels  and  of  horns.  And  while  I  was  look- 
ing at  the  sea,  and  it  calm  for  me,  great  winds 
came  uponme  andbrought  me  away  in  to  the 
sea  till  I  did  not  see  landnorground.  And  then 

1 20 


I 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

my  currach  stayed  still,  and  from  that  out  it 
didnot  stir  from  the  place  where  it  was.  And 
as  I  was  looking  about  me  on  every  side  I  saw 
to  my  right  hand  the  man  that  had  spoken 
from  the  grave,  and  he  sitting  on  the  waves, 
and  it  is  what  he  said  to  me  "Where  are  you 
going?  "hesaid.  "I  like  well"  I  said"theview 
I  have  over  the  sea."  "You  would  not  like  it 
well"  hesaid  "if  you  could  see  the  troop  that 
is  about  you."  "What  troop  is  that?"  said  I. 
"There  is  nothing  so  far  asyour  sight  reaches 
over  the  sea  and  up  to  the  clouds,"  he  said, 
"butone  troop  of  demons  all  around  you,  by 
reason  of  your  covetousness  and  your  vanity 
and  your  pride  and  yourtheft  and  your  other 
bad  deeds.  And  do  you  know  why  it  is  your 
boat  is  stopping  where  it  is  ?"  "I  do  not  know 
that  indeed"  said  I.  "The  currach  will  not 
go  out  of  the  place  where  it  is,"  he  said, 
"until  such  time  as  youwill  do  my  bidding." 
"Maybel  will  not  put  up  with  it"  saidl.  "You 
will  give  in  to  the  pains  of  hell  unless  you 
give  in  to  my  will"  said  he.  He  cametowards 
I  me  then,  and  laid  his  hand  upon  me  and  I 
'  said  I  would  do  his  bidding.  "Put  out"  he 
:  said  "intotheseaalltherichesyou  have  stored 
;  in  the  boat."  "It  would  be  a  pity"  said  I  "that 
all  should  go  to  loss."  "It  will  not  go  to  loss" 

121  R 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

said  he,  "there  is  one  will  get  profit  by  it."  I 
threw  out  then  intothe  sea  all  thatwas  in  the 
boat  but  one  smallwooden  cup.  "Go  on  now 
out  of  this"  he  said"andwhatever  place  your 
currach  stopslet  you  stay  in  that  place."  And 
he  gave  me  provision  then,thefull  of  the  cup 
of  whey  water,and  seven  cakes.  So  I  went  on 
then'  said  the  old  man 'where  my  currach  and 
the  wind  brought  me  for  I  had  let  my  oars 
and  the  rudder  go  from  me.  And  as  I  was 
moving  about  uponthe  waves  I  was  cast  upon 
this  rock,  and  I  was  in  doubt  if  the  boat  had 
stopped  for  I  saw  neither  land  nor  ground. 
And  I  brought  to  mind  then  what  had  been 
said  to  me,  to  stop  in  the  place  where  my  | 
boat  would  stop.  So  I  raised  myself  up  and  I 
saw  a  little  rock  and  the  waves  laughing 
about  it.  Then  I  set  my  foot  onthelittlerock, 
and  the  rock  lifted  me  up  and  the  waves  went 
from  it.  Seven  years  I  was  here'  he  said 
'having  but  the  sevencakes,and  at  the  end  of 
that  time  the  cakes  failed  ine  and  I  had  but 
the  cup  of  whey  water.  And  after  I  had  fasted 
three  days,  at  the  hour  of  nones  an  otter 
brought  a  salmon  to  me  out  of  the  sea.  And 
I  said  to  myself  in  my  mind  I  would  never  be 
satisfied  to  eat  the  salmon  raw,  and  I  put  it 
out  again  into  the  sea;   and  I  was  fasting 

122 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

through  the  length  of  another  three  days. 
And  at  the  third  none  I  saw  the  otter  bring- 
ing the  salmon  to  me  again  out  of  the  sea ; 
and  another  otter  brought  kindled  wood  and 
put  it  down  and  blew  it  with  his  breath  that 
the  fire  blazed  up.  So  I  roasted  the  salmon, 
and  for  another  seven  years  I  lived  that  way. 
And  a  salmon  would  come  to  me  every  day' 
he  said  'and  with  it  firing,  and  the  rock  was 
increasing  until  now  it  is  large.  And  at  the 
end  of  the  seven  years'  he  said  'my  salmon 
was  not  given  to  me,  and  I  was  fasting 
through  another  three  days.  And  at  the  third 
none  there  were  put  up  to  me  the  halt  a 
wheaten  cake  and  a  bit  of  a  fish.  Then  my 
cup  of  whey  water  went  from  me,  and  there 
came  to  me  a  cup  of  the  same  size  that  was 
full  of  good  drink,  and  it  is  here  on  the  rock 
and  it  full  every  day.  And  neither  wind  nor 
wet  nor  heat  nor  cold  vexes  me  in  this  place. 
And  that  is  my  story  for  you'  said  the  old 
man.  And  when  the  hour  of  none  was  come 
the  half  of  a  cake  and  a  bit  of  a  fish  came  for 
every  man  of  them,  and  in  the  cup  that  was 
on  the  rock  with  the  old  man  therewas  their 
full  of  good  drink.  The  old  man  said  to  them 
then  'You  will  all  reach  to  your  country,  and 
I  the  man  that  killed  your  father,  Maeldune, 

123 


BOOK  FOUR:  THE 

you  will  find  him  before  you  in  a  dun ;  and 
do  not  kill  him,  but  give  him  forgiveness 
since  God  has  saved  you  from  many  great 
dangers,  and  you  yourselves  are  deserving  of 
death  the  same  as  himself.'  They  bade  fare- 
w^ell  then  to  the  old  man,  and  they  w^ent  on 
as  they  w^ere  used  to  do;  And  as  to  the  com- 
mandment he  had  given,  it  isw^ell  Maeldune 
kept  it  in  mind  and  obeyed  it  afterwards. 
THE  BIRD  After  they  were  gone 

FROM  IRELAND  from  that  now,  they 
came  to  an  island  having  in  it  a  great  many 
cattle,  oxen  and  cows  and  sheep,  but  there 
were  no  houses  in  it  or  duns.  They  ate  the 
flesh  of  the  sheep, and  oneof  them  said  then, 
and  he  looking  at  a  large  bird,  'That  bird  is 
like  the  birds  of  Ireland.'  'That  is  true  in- 
deed' said  some  of  the  rest.  'Keep  a  watch  on 
it'  said  Maeldune  'and  see  what  way  will  itgo 
fromus.'  They  saw  then  thebirdflying  from 
them  to  the  south-east,  and  they  rowedafter 
it  in  that  direction  and  they  went  on  rowing 
until  vespers,  andatthefall  of  night  they  came 
in  sight  of  land  that  was  like  the  land  of  Ire- 
land. And  they  rowed  towards  it,  and  they 
found  a  small  island  and  it  was  from  that  is- 
land the  wind  had  brought  them  into  the 
ocean  thetime  they  firstputout  to  sea.  They 

124 


VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

I 

drew  theirboat  on  shore  then  and  they  went 

to  the  dun  that  was  in  the  island,  and  they 

were  listening  to  the  people  of  the  dun  that 

were  at  their  supper  at  that  time.  And  it  is 

what  theyheardsonie  of  them  saying  'Itwill 

ibewellfor  usif  weneverseeMaeldune  again.' 

'It  is  drowned  Maeldune  was'  said  another 

inianof  them.  'If  heshould  come  innow'  said 

lanother  'what  should  we  do?'  'It  is  not  hard 

ito  say  that'  said  the  manof  thehouse.  'There 

would  be  a  great  welcome  before  him  if  he 

should  come,  for  it  is  a  long  time  he  has  been 

lunder  great  hardship.'  With  that  Maeldune 

struck  the  hand-wood  against  the  door.  'Who 

is  there?'  said  the  doorkeeper.  'Maeldune  is 

here.'  'Open  the  door  then'  said  the  man  of 

the  house  'for  it  is  welcome  your  coming  is.' 

They  came  into  the  house  then,  and  there 

I  was  a  great  welcome  before  them  and  new 

clothing  was  given  to  them.  Then  theybore 

iwitness  to  all  the  wonders  God  had  showed 

to  them,  after  thewordof  theholy  hymn  that 

said 

Haec  olim  meminisse  juvabit. 

And  then  Maeldune  went  to  his  own  district, 
and  Diuran  the  half-poet  took  the  five  half 
ounces  of  silver  he  had  taken  from  the  net 

125 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  MAELDUNE 

and  laid  them  on  the  altar  of  Ardmacha  in 
joy  and  in  triumph  at  the  miracles  and  great 
wonders  God  had  done  for  them.  And  they 
told  their  journeyfrombeginningtoend,  and 
all  the  troubles  and  dangers  they  had  found 
by  land  and  by  sea.  * 

Aedh  Finn,  now,  chief  story  teller  of  Ireland 
put  down  this  story  the  way  it  is  here ;  for 
gladdening  the  mind  he  did  it  and  for  the 
people  of  Ireland  after  him. 


126 


BOOK  FIVE: 

GREAT  WONDERS  OFTHE  OLDEN 
TIME. 

BLESSED  CIARAN  Thefirstof  the  saints 
AND  HIS  SCHOLARS  to  be  born  in  Ireland 
pf  the  saints  was  Ciaran,  that  was  of  the  blood 
|3f  the  nobles  of  Leinster.  And  thefirst  of  the 
wonders  he  did  was  in  the  island  of  Cleire, 
|ind  he  but  a  young  child  at  the  time.  There 
i:ame  a  hawk  in  the  air  over  his  head,  and  it 
ptooped  down  before  him  and  took  up  alittle 
bird  that  was  sitting  on  a  nest.  And  pity  for 
the  little  bird  came  on  Ciaran  and  itwas  bad 
ito  him  the  way  it  was.  And  the  hawk  turned 
back  and  left  the  bird  before  him,  and  it  half 
dead  and  trembhng ;  and  Ciaran  bade  it  to 
rise  up  and  it  rose  and  went  up  safe  and  well 
to  itsnestjby  thegraceof  God.  It  wasPatrick 
bade  Ciaran  after  that  to  (^o  to  the  Well  of 
jUaran,  the  mering  where  the  north  meets 
with  the  south  in  the  middle  part  of  Ireland. 
I'And  bring  my  little  bell  with  you'  he  said 
j-and  it  will  be  without  speaking  tillyoucome 
[to  the  Well.'  So  Ciaran  did  that  and  when 
he  reached  to  the  Well  of  Uaran,  for  God 
brought  him  there,  the  little  bell  spoke  out 
on  the  moment  in  a  bright  clear  voice.  And 
Ciaran  settled  himself  there,  and  he  alone, 
and  great  woods  all  around  the  place  ;  and  he 

127 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS  ( 

began  to  make  a  little  cell  for  himself,  that 
was  weak  enough.  And  one  time  as  he  was  ( 
sittingunder  the  shadow  of  a  tree  awild  boar  1 
rose  up  on  the  other  side  of  it ;  but  when  it 
saw  Ciaranitran  from  him,  and  then  it  turned 
back  again  as  a  quiet  servant  to  him,  being- 
made  gentle  by  God.  And  that  boar  was  the 
first  scholar  and  the  first  monk  Ciaran  had ; 
and  it  used  to  be  going  into  the  wood  and  to 
beplucking  rods  and  thatchbetween  its  teeth 
asif  to  help  towards  the  building.  And  there 
came  wild  creatures  to  Ciaran  out  of  the  places 
where  they  were,  a  fox  and  a  badger  and  a 
wolf  and  adoe ;  and  they  weretamewith  him 
and  humbled  themselves  to  his  teaching  the 
same  as  brothers, and  did  all  he  bade  them  to 
do.  But  one  day  the  fox,  that  was  greedy  and 
cunning  andfull  of  malice,  met  with  Ciaran's 
brogues  and  he  stole  them  and  went  away 
shunning  the  rest  of  the  company  to  his  own 
old  den, for  he  had  a  mind  to  eatthebrogues. 
But  that  was  showed  to  Ciaran,  and  he  sent 
another  monk  of  the  monks  of  his  family, 
that  was  the  badger,  to  bring  back  the  fox  to 
the  place  where  they  all  were.  So  the  badger 
went  to  the  cave  where  the  fox  was  and 
found  him,  and  heafter eating  thethongsand 
theearsofthebrogues   And thebadger would 

128 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

not  let  him  off  coming  back  with  him  to 
Ciaran,  and  they  came  to  him  in  the  evening 
bringing  the  brogues  with  them.  And  Ciaran 
said  to  the  fox  'O  brother'  he  said  '  why  did 
you  do  this  robbery  that  was  not  right  for  a 
monk  to  do  ?  And  there  was  no  need  for  you 
to  doit'  hesaid  'forwe  all  havefoodandwater 
in  common,  that  there  is  no  harm  in.  But  if 
your  nature  told  you  it  w^as  better  for  you 
to  use  flesh,  God  would  have  made  it  for 
you  from  the  bark  of  those  trees  that  are 
about  you.'  Then  the  fox  asked  Ciaran  to 
forgive  him  and  to  put  a  penance  on  him ; 
and  Ciaran  did  that,  and  the  fox  used  no 
food  till  such  time  as  he  got  leave  from 
Ciaran  ;  and  from  that  out  he  was  as  honest 
as  the  rest. 

HIS  KINDNESS  It  is  not  long  since  a  poor 
IS  LIVING  YET  woman  of  Aidne  that 
used  to  be  doing  spinning  for  the  neighbours, 
andthathadalittle  son  thatwaslame, brought 
him  to  a  blessed  well  of  Ciaran.  And  when 
they  looked  in  it  they  saw  a  little  fish  tossing 
and  leaping  and  the  water  bubbling  up,  and 
a  woman  that  was  there  said  'It  is  many  years 
I  am  coming  here,  and  I  never  saw  that  fish 
until  now.'  And  from  that  time  the  lameness 
wentfrom  the  little  lad.  And  there  was  apoor 

129  s 


BOOK  FIVE  :  GREAT  WONDERS 

woman  in  lar  Connacht  was  fretting  greatly 
because  she  was  told  that  her  son  that  was  in 
America  had  lost  his  leg  through  a  train. 
And  she  thought  maybe  she  did  not  hear  all 
the  truth,  and  that  the  neighbours  might  be 
hiding  from  her  that  he  Vv^as  dead.  So  she 
went  to  a  well  of  blessed  Ciaran  and  she 
kneeled  down  on  the  stones,  and  she  prayed 
three  timesto  God  and  to  thesaint  togiveher 
a  sign.  And  at  the  third  time  a  little  fish  rose 
up  and  went  swimming  and  stirring  itself  at 
the  top  of  the  water  as  if  to  show  itself,  and 
she  saw  that  a  piece  had  been  taken  out  of  it 
and  that  it  was  lively  all  the  same.  And  sure 
enough  her  son  gotwellandisliving  in  Amer- 
ica yet.  And  many  that  have  some  belonging 
to  them  across  the  ocean  will  go  and  ask  for 
a  sign  atthatwell,and  it  willbe  given  to  them 
the  same  as  it  was  to  her. 
BLESSED  CELL-  The  time  Cdlach,  that 
ACH'S  LAMENT  was  a  saint  of  Connacht 
andasonof  theking,was  taken  by  his  enemies 
they  put  him  in  a  hollow  of  an  oak  tree  for 
the  night.  And  he  made  this  complaint,  and 
he  waiting  for  his  death :  'My  blessing  to  the 
morning  that  is  as  white  as  aflame;  my  bless- 
ing to  Him  that  sends  it,  the  brave  new 
morning;  my  blessing  to  you  white  proud 

130 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

morning,  sister  to  the  bright  sun;  morning 
that  lights  up  my  little  book  for  me. 
'Itisyouaretheguestin  every  house;  it  is  you 
shine  on  every  race  and  every  family;  white- 
necked  morning,  gold-clear,  wonderful. 
'Och,    scallcrow,    Och,    scallcrow,    grey- 
cloaked,  sharpbeaked ;  it  is  well  I  know  your 
desire ;  you  are  no  friend  to  Cellach! 
'Och,  raven  doing  your  croaking;  if  there  is 
hunger  on  you  do  not  leave  this  place  till  you 
get  your  fill  of  my  flesh! 
'The  kite  of  the  Yew  Tree  of  Cluan  Eo,  it 
is  he  will  be  rough  in  the  struggle;  he  will 
take  the  full  of  his  grey  claws;   it  is  not  in 
kindness  he  will  part  from  me! 
'Little  wren  of  the  scanty  tail,  it  is  a  pity  the 
song  you  gave ;  it  is  surely  for  betraying  you 
are  come  and  for  the  shortening  of  my  life. 
'  The  red  fox  will  come  hurrying  when  he 
hears  the  blows  upon  me ;  the  wolf  from  the 
eastern  side  of  the  Ridge  of  the  son  of  Dara. 
'The  great  Son  of  Mary  is  saying  over  my 
head  "You  will  have  earth,  you  will  have 
Heaven;    there  is   a  welcome  before  you 
Cellach!'" 

THE  WOLF'S  It  chanced  one  day  notlong 
PROPHECY  afterthecomingoftheGall 
from  England  into  Ireland,  there  was  a  priest 

131 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

making  his  way  through  a  wood  of  Meath. 
And  there  came  a  man  fornenst  him  andbade 
him  for  the  love  of  God  to  come  with  him 
to  confess  his  wife  that  was  lying  sick  near 
that  place.     So  the  priest  turned  with  him 
and  it  was  not  long  before  he  heard  groaning 
and  complaining  as  would  be  heard  from  a 
woman,  but  when  he  came  where  she  was 
lying  it  was  a  wolf  he  saw  before  him  on  the 
ground.  The  priest  was  afeared  when  he  saw 
that  and  he  turned  away;  but  the  man  and 
the  wolf  spoke  with  him  and  bade  him  not 
to  be  afeared  but  to  turn  and  to  confess  her. 
Then  the  priest  took  heart  and  blessed  him 
and  sat  down  beside  her.  And  the  wolf  spoke 
to  him  and  made  her  confession  to  the  priest 
and  he  anointed  her.  And  when  they  had 
that  done,  the  priest  began  to  think  in  him- 
self that  she  that  had  that  mislikeness  upon 
her  and  had  grace  to  speak,  might  likely  have 
grace  and  the  gift  of  knowledge  in  other 
things;  and  he  asked  her  about  the  strangers 
that  were  come  into  Ireland,  and  what  way 
it  would  be  with  them.  And  it  is  what  the 
wolf  said:  'It  was  through  the  sinof  thepeople 
of  this  country  Almighty  God  was  displeased 
with  them  and  sent  that  race  to  bring  them 
into  bondage,  and  so  they  must  be  until  the 

132 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

Gall  themselves  will  be  encumbered  with 
sin.  And  at  that  time  the  people  of  Ireland 
will  have  power  to  put  on  them  the  same 

(wretchedness  for  their  sins.' 
ILIBAN  THE       The  time  Angus  Og  sent 
I  SEA  WOMAN     away  Eochaid   and   Ribh 
from  the  plain  of  Bregia  that  was  his  playing 
I  ground,  he  gave  them  the  loan  of  a  very  big 
I  horse  to  carry  all  they  had  northward.  And 
,  Eochaid  went  on  with  the  horse  till  he  came 
to  the  Grey  Thornbush  in  Ulster ;  and  a  well 
brokeoutwhere  he  stopped,  and  he  made  his 
I  dwelling-house  beside  it,andhe  made  acover 
for  the  well  and  put  a  woman  to  mind  it.  But 
one  time  she  did  not  shut  down  the  cover, 
and  the  water  rose  up  and  covered  the  Grey 
Thornbush,  and  Eochaidwas  drowned  with 
his  children  ;  and  the  water  spread  out  into  a 
great  lake  that  has  the  name  of  Loch  Neach 
to  this  day.  But  Liban  that  was  one  of  Eoch- 
aid's  daughters  was  not  drowned,  but  she  was 
in  her  sunny-house  under  the  lake  and  her 
little  dog  with  her  for  afull  year,  and  Godpro- 
tected  her  from  the  waters.  And  one  day  she 
[  said  'O  Lord,  it  would  be  well  to  be  in  the 
I  shape  of  asalmon,  tobe  going  through  thesea 
i  the  way  they  do.'  Then  the  one  half  of  her 
took  the  shape  of  a  salmon  and  the  other  half 

133 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

kept  the  shape  of  a  woman ;  and  she  went    ^ 
swimming  the  sea,  and  her  little  dog  following 
her  in  the  shape  of  an  otter  and  never  leaving 
her  or  parting  from  her  at  all.  And  one  time 
Caoilte  was  out  at  a  hunting  near  Beinn 
Boirche  with  the  King  of  Ulster,  and  they 
came  to  the  shore  of  the  sea.  And  when  they 
looked  out  over  it  they  saw  a  young  girl  on 
the   waves,  and  she   swimming   with  the 
side-stroke  and  the  foot-stroke.  And  when 
she  came  opposite  them  she  sat  up  on  a  wave, 
as  anyone  would  sit  upon  a  stone  ora  hillock 
and  she  lifted  her  head  and  she  said  'Is  not 
that  Caoilte  Son  of  Ronan?'  'It  is  myself 
surely'  said  he.  'It  is  many  a  day'  she  said  'we 
saw  you  upon  that  rock,  and  the  best  man  of 
Ireland  or  of  Scotland  with  you,  that  was  Finn 
son  of  Cumhal.  'Who  are  you  so  girl?'  said 
Caoilte.  'I  am  Liban  daughter  of  Eochaid, 
and  I  am  in  the  water  these  hundred  years, 
and  I  never  showed  my  face  to  anyone  since 
the  going  away  of  the  King  of  the  Fianna  to 
this  day.  And  it  is  what  led  me  to  lift  my  head 
to-day'  she  said  'was  to  see  yourself  Caoilte.' 
Just  then  the  deer  that  were  running  before 
the  hounds  made  for  the  sea  and  swam  out 
intoit.  'Yourspear  tome  Caoilte  !'  saidLiban. 
Then  he  put  the  spear  into  her  hand  and  she 

134 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

killed  the  deer  with  it,  and  sent  them  back 
tohim  wherehe  was  with  the  Kingof  Ulster; 
and  then  she  threw  him  back  the  spear  and 
with  that  she  went  away.  And  that  is  the 
jwayshewasuntil  the  time  Beoansonof  Innle 
jwas  sent  by  Comgall  to  Rome,  to  have  talk 
'with  Gregory  and  to  bring  back  rules  and 
orders.  And  when  he  and  his  people  were 
.going  over  the  sea  they  heard  what  was  like 
the  singing  of  angels  under  the  currach. 
*What  is  that  song?'  said  Beoan.  'It  is  I  my- 
self am  making  it'  said  Liban .  'Who  are  you  ?' 
I  said  Beoan.  'I  am  Liban  daughter  of  Eochaid 
json  of  Mairid,  and  I  am  going  through  the 
!  sea  these  three  hundred  years.'  Then  she  told 
'him  all  her  story,  and  how  it  was  under  the 
round  hulls  of  ships  she  had  her  dwelling- 
place,  and  the  v/aves  were  the  roofing  of  her 
house, andthestrandsits walls.  'Anditiswhat 
I  am  come  for  now'  she  said  'to  tell  you  that 
I  will  come  to  meet  you  on  this  day  twelve- 
month at  Inver  Ollorba ;  and  do  not  fail  to 
meet  me  there  for  the  sake  of  all  the  saints  of 
Dalaradia.'  And  at  the  year's  end  the  nets 
were  spread  along  the  coast  where  she  said 
she  would  come,  and  it  was  in  the  net  of 
Fergus  from  Miluic  she  was  taken.  And  the 
clerks  gave  her  her  choice  either  to  be  bap- 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

tized  and  go  then  and  there  to  heaven,  or  to 
stay  living  through  another  three  hundred 
years  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  to  go  to 
heaven ;  and  the  choice  she  made  was  to  die. 
Then  Comgall  baptized  her  and  the  name  he 
gave  her  was  Muirgheis,  the  Birth  of  the  Sea. 
So  she  died,  and  the  messengers  that  came 
and  that  carried  her  to  her  burying  place, 
were  horned  deer  that  were  sent  by  the  angels 
of  God. 

THE  PRIEST  Therewasagoodhonour- 
AND  THE  BEES  able  well-born  priest, 
God's  darling  he  was,  a  man  holding  to  the 
yoke  of  Christ ;  and  it  happened  he  went  one 
day  to  attend  on  a  sick  man.  And  as  he  was 
goingaswarm  of  beescame  towardshim,  and 
he  having  the  Blessed  Body  of  Christ  with 
him  there.  And  when  he  saw  the  swarm  he 
laid  the  Blessed  Body  on  the  ground  and 
gathered  theswarm  into  hisbosom, and  went 
on  in  that  way  upon  his  journey,  and  forgot 
the  Blessed  Body  where  he  had  laid  it.  And 
after  a  while  the  bees  went  back  from  him 
again,  and  they  found  the  Blessed  Body  and 
carried  it  away  between  them  to  their  own 
dwelling  place,  and  they  gave  honour  to  it 
kindly  and  made  a  good  chapel  of  wax  for  it, 
andan  altar  and  a  chalice  and  a  pair  of  priests, 

136 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

shaping  them  well  out  of  wax  to  stand  before 
Christ's  Body.  But  as  for  the  priest,  when  he 
remembered  it  he  went  looking  for  it  care- 
fully, penitently,  and  could  not  find  it  in  any 
place.  And  it  went  badly  with  him  and  he 
went  to  confession,  and  with  the  weight  of 
the  trouble  that  took  hold  of  him  he  was 
fretting  through  the  length  of  a  year.  And 
there  came  an  angel  to  him  at  the  end  of  the 
yearand  told  him  the  way  the  Body  of  Christ 
was  sheltered  and  honoured.  And  the  angel 
bade  him  to  bring  all  the  people  to  see  that 
wonder;  and  they  went  there  andwhen  they 
saw^  it  a  great  many  of  them  believed. 
THE  HYMN  OF  As  Moiling,  saint  of 

MOLLING'S  GUEST  the  Gael,  was  pray- 
ing in  his  church  one  time,  he  saw  a  young 
man  coming  tohimintothehouse.  A  comely 
shapehe  had  and  purple  clothing  about  him. 
'Good  be  with  you.  Clerk'  he  said.  'Amen' 
said  Moiling.  'Why do  yougive  me  no  bless- 
ing?' said  the  young  man.  'Who  are  you.?' 
said  Moiling.  'I  am  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of 
God.'  'That  is  not  so'  said  MoUing.  'In  the 
time  Christ  used  to  come  and  to  be  talking 
with  the  servantsof  God,itis  not  in  purple  or 
like  a  king  he  was,  but  it  is  in  the  shape  of 
the  miserable  the  poor  and  the  lepers  he 

137  T 


BOOK  FIVE  :  GREAT  WONDERS 

used  to  come.'  'If  it  is  not  believing  me  you 
are'  said  the  young  man  'who  is  it  you  think 
I  am?'  'In  my  opinion' said  MolHng  'it  is  the 
devil  you  are,  coming  for  my  hurt.'  'It  is 
harmful  to  you  your  unbelief  is'  said  the 
young  man.  'Well'  said  Moiling 'here  is  your 
successor,  the  Gospel  of  Christ'  and  with  that 
he  raised  up  the  book.  'Do  not  raise  it  up 
Clerk'  said  the  young  man  then ;  'for  it  is 
likely  I  am  what  you  say,  the  man  full  of 
trouble.'  'For what  causeare  you  come?'  said 
Moiling.  'To  ask  a  blessing  of  you'  said  he. 
'I  will  not  give  it'  said  Moiling;  'for  it  is  not 
a  blessing  you  w^ould  be  the  better  of.  And 
what  good  would  it  be  to  you?'  he  said.  'O 
Clerk'  said  the  young  man  'it  would  be  like 
as  if  you  would  go  into  a  vat  of  honey  and 
your  clothing  on  you,  and  bathe  yourself  in 
it,  the  smell  of  it  would  be  about  you  unless 
you  would  wash  your  clothing.'  'I  will  not 
give  it  to  you'  said  Moiling  'for  it  is  not  your 
true  desire.'  'Well'  he  said  'give  me  the  full 
of  a  curse.'  *What  good  will  that  do  you?' 
said  Moiling.  'Not  hard  to  say  that.  Clerk ;  if 
your  mouth  should  give  out  thecurse  on  me, 
its  hurt  &  its  poison  would  be  on  your  lips.' 
'Go'  said  Moiling  'you  are  worthy  of  no 
blessing.'  'It  would  be  best  for  me  to  earn  it' 

138 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

said  he;  'and  what  way  can  I  do  that?'  'By 
serving  God' said  Molhng.  'My  grief  he  said 
'I  cannot  do  that.'  'By  fasting  then.'  'I  am 
fasting  since  the  beginning  of  the  world'  he 

I  said  'and  1  am  none  the  better  for  it.'  'Bow 

I  your  knees'  said  Molhng.  'I  cannot  do  that 

'  for  it  is  turned  backwards  my  knees  are.' 
'Go  out  from  this'  said  Moiling  'for  I  cannot 

I  save  you.'  And  it  is  what  the  stranger  said 

,  then: 

\  'He  is  clean  gold,  he  is  Heaven  about  the  sun, 
he  isasilver  vessel  having  wine  in  it ;  he  is  an 

I  angel,  he  is  the  wisdom  of  saints;  everyone 
that  is  doing  the  will  of  the  King. 
'He  is  a  bird  with  a  trap  closing  about  him ; 
he  is  a  broken  ship  in  great  danger;  he  is  an 
empty  vessel,  he  is  a  withered  tree ;  he  that 

;  is  not  doing  the  will  of  the  King. 
'He  is  a  sweet- smelling  branch  with  its  blos- 
soms ;  he  is  a  vessel  that  is  full  of  honey ;  he 

;  is  a  shining  stone  of  good  luck ;  he  who  does 
the  will  of  the  Son  of  God  of  heaven. 
'He  is  a  blind  nut  without  profit ;  he  is  ill- 

:  smelling  rottenness,  he  is  a  withered  tree ;  he 
is  a  wild  apple  branch  without  blossom;  he 
that  is  not  doing  the  will  of  the  King. 

,  'If  he  does  the  will  of  the  Son  of  God  of 
Heaven,  he  is  a  bright  sun  with  summer 

139 


BOOK  FIVE  :  GREAT  WONDERS 

about  it;  he  is  the  image  of  the  God  of 
Heaven ;  he  is  a  vessel  of  clear  glass. 
'He  is  a  racehorse  over  a  smooth  plain,  the 
man  that  is  striving  for  the  kingdom  of  the 
great  God ;  he  is  a  chariot  that  is  seen  under 
a  king,  that  v^ins  the  victory  with  golden 
bridles. 

'He  is  a  sun  that  warms  high  heaven ;  the 
king  to  whom  the  great  King  is  thankful; 
he  is  a  church,  joyful,  noble;  he  is  a  shrine 
having  gold  about  it. 

'He  is  an  altar  having  wine  poured  upon  it; 
having  many  quires  singing  around;  he  is  a 
clean  chalice  with  ale  in  it  ;  he  is  bronze, 
white,  shining ;  he  is  gold.' 
-TUAN,  SON  Finnen  of  Magh  Bile,  saint 
OF  CAIRELL  of  the  Gael,  went  one  time 
into  Ulster  to  a  rich  fighting-man  that  had 
no  good  belief  and  that  would  not  let  him  or 
his  people  into  his  house,  but  left  them  fast- 
ing through  the  Sunday.  Then  therecame  to 
them  a  very  old  clerkand  bade  them  to  come 
with  him.  'Come  to  my  dwelling-place'  he 
said  'for  itwill  be  more  fitting  for  you.'  They 
went  with  him  then,  and  they  went  through 
the  duties  of  the  Lord's  day  with  psalms  and 
with  preachings  and  with  offerings.  Then 
Finnen  asked  him  his  name.  'I  am  one  of  the 

140 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

men  of  Ulster'  he  said  'and  I  am  now  Tuan 
son  of  Cairell ;  but  Tuan  grandson  of  Sera, 
sonof  Partholon's  brother,  that  was  my  name 
at  the  first.'  Then  Finnen  bade  him  to  tell  all 
that  had  happened  in  Ireland  from  the  time 
of  Partholon,  and  they  said  they  would  not 
eat  with  him  until  he  had  told  them  the 
stories  of  Ireland.  'It  is  hard  not  to  be  think- 
ing of  the  word  of  God  you  have  been  giving 
out  to  us'  said  Tuan.  But  Finnen  said  'You 
have  leave  to  tellus  now  your  own  story,  and 
the  story  of  Ireland.  'Five  times' he  said  then 
'Ireland  was  taken  after  the  flood  ;  and  then 
Partholon  and  his  people  took  it,  and  be- 
tween two  Sundays  a  sickness  came  upon 
them,  that  they  all  died  but  one  man  only. 
But  it  is  not  the  custom  for  destruction  to 
come  without  one  coming  out  of  it  to  tell 
the  story,  and  I  myself  am  that  one'  he  said. 
'After  that  I  was  going  from  hill  to  hill  and 
from  chfiFto  cliffy,  keeping  myselffrom  wolves 
through  two  andtwenty  years, andall Ireland 
empty.  Then  thewitheringof  agecame  upon 
me,  and  I  was  in  waste  places  and  my  walk 
failed  me,  and  I  took  caves  for  myself.  Then 
Nemedmy  father's  brothercame  intolreland 
with  his  people,  and  I  saw  them  from  the 
cliffs,  and  I  was  avoiding  them,  and  I  hairy, 

141 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

clawed,  withered,  grey,  naked,  sorrowful, 
miserable.  Then  one  night  in  my  sleep  I  saw 
myself  going  into  the  shape  of  a  stag,  and  I 
was  in  that  shape,  and  young  and  glad  in  my 
mind.  And  there  grew  upon  my  head  two 
antlers  having  three  score  points,  and  I  was 
the  leader  of  the  herds  of  Ireland,  and  there 
was  a  great  herd  of  stags  about  me  whatever 
way  I  went.  That  is  the  way  I  spent  my  life 
through  the  time  of  Nemed  and  his  race,but 
they  all  died  in  the  end.  Then  the  withering 
of  age  came  upon  me  again,  and  I  was  going 
away  from  men  and  from  wolves.  One  time  I 
was  at  the  door  of  my  cave,  I  remember  it 
yet,  I  knew  I  was  going  from  one  shape  into 
another.  It  was  into  the  shape  of  a  wild  boar 
I  went  and  it  is  what  I  said: 
'I  am  a  boar  to-day  among  many;  I  am  a 
king  looking  forvictories ;  the  Kingof  all  has 
put  me  in  hard  trouble  under  many  shapes. 
When  I  was  at  Dun  Bre  in  the  mornings 
fightingagainstold  fightingmen,  it  iscomely 
my  troop  was  beyond  the  pool ;  a  beautiful 
host  was  following  me. 
'It  is  swift  my  troop  was,  going  in  revenge 
among  armies;  throwing  my  spears  on  every 
side  against  the  hosts  of  Inisfail. 
'When  we  were  in  the  gathering  giving  out 

142 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

the  judgments  of  Partholon  it  was  sweet  to 
everyone  what  I  said;  those  were  the  words 
Ithat  went  very  close. 

'It  issweet  was  my  pleasant  judgment  among 
the  beautiful  women ;  stately  my  comely 
chariot ;  sweet  my  singing  across  a  dark 
plain. 

'It  is  swift  was  my  step  without  straying  in 
the  first  rush  of  the  battles ;  it  is  comely  my 
face  was  that  day  ;  to-day  it  is  the  dark  face 
of  a  boar. 

'For  it  was  in  that  shape  I  was  truly'  he  said 
I 'and  I  was  young  and  glad  in  my  mind,  and 
I  was  the  king  of  the  boar-herds  of  Ireland, 
and  I  went  the  round  of  my  dwelling  when 
1  came  into  the  district  of  Ulster;  for  it  was 
in  that  place  I  changed  into  all  those  shapes, 
and  it  is  to  that  place  I  came  for  renewing  in 
the  time  of  my  withering  and  my  misery. 
Then  Semion  son  of  Stariath  and  his  people 
took  this  island.  From  them  are  the  Fir 
Domnann  and  the  Firbolg  and  the  Galliana, 
and  all  these  lived  theirtimein  Ireland.  And 
agecame  upon  me,  andmy  mind  was  troubled, 
and  I  could  not  do  the  things  I  was  used  to. 
And  I  went  back  to  my  own  place,  and  I  re- 
membered every  shape  I  was  in  before,  and 
I  fasted  my  three  days  as  I  had  always  done, 

143 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

and  I  had  no  strength  left.  And  after  that  I 
went  into  the  shape  of  a  great  hawk  and  my 
mind  was  glad  again,  I  was  able  to  do  every- 
thing ;  and  I  said  to  myself  that  dearer  to  me 
every  day  was  God,  the  Friend  who  had 
shaped  me.  Then  Beothach  son  of  larbonel 
the  prophet  took  this  island  from  the  races 
that  were  in  it.  From  them  are  the  Tuatha 
De  Danaan  and  the  An-De ;  and  where  they 
came  from  the  learned  do  not  know,  but  it 
seems  to  them  likely  they  came  from  heaven, 
because  of  their  skill  and  the  excellence  of 
their  knowledge.  I  was  a  long  time  in  the 
shapeof  thathawk  tilll  outlived  all  the  races 
that  had  taken  the  land  of  Ireland.  Then  the 
sons  of  Miled  took  the  island  by  force  from 
theTuathaDe Danaan, and  Iwasinthe  shape 
of  that  hawk  yet,  and  I  was  in  the  hollow  of 
a  tree  on  a  river.  It  is  sorrowful  my  mind  was; 
all  the  birds  came  to  me  quietly.  There  I 
fasted  three  days  and  three  nights  and  sleep 
fell  upon  me,  and  I  went  there  and  then  into 
the  shape  of  a  salmon,  and  God  put  me  into 
the  river  and  I  was  in  it.  It  is  well  content  I 
was  then  and  strong  and  well  nourished,  and 
it  is  good  my  swimming  was,  and  I  used  to 
escapefrom  everynet  and  every  danger,  from 
the  claws  of  hawks  and  from  the  hands   oC 

144 


01 

fc! 
ev 
G 
kc 
to 
m 
ai 

ti 
e 
[ 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

fishermen  and  their  spears ;  and  the  marks  of 
everyone  of  them  are  on  me  yet.  And  when 
God,  my  help,thoughtittime,  and  when  the 
beasts  were  following  me  and  I  was  known 
to  every  fisherman  in  every  pool,  the  fisher- 
man of  Cairell,  kingof  that  country,  took  me 
and  brought  me  to  the  queen,  I  remember  it 
well ;  the  man  put  me  on  a  spit  and  roasted 
me,  and  the  queen,  that  had  a  desire  for  fish, 
eat  me  so  that  I  was  in  herwomb.  I  remem- 
berwell  the  time  I  was  in  herwomb  andwhat 
each  one  said  to  her  in  thehouse,  and  all  that 
was  done  in  Ireland  through  that  time.  I  re- 
member after  my  birth  when  speech  came  to 
me  as  it  comes  to  every  person,  and  I  knew 
all  that  was  going  on  in  Ireland,  and  I  was  a 
seer  and  they  gave  me  the  name  of  Tuan  son 
of  Cairell.  Afterthat,  Patrick  camewith  the 
faith  to  Ireland  and  I  was  baptized  and  be- 
lieved in  the  only  King  of  all  things  and  of 
theElements.'  AndafterTuan  hadtold  that, 
Finnenand  hispeople  stopped  there  through 
a  week  talkingwith  him.  And  every  history 
and  every  genealogy  that  is  in  Ireland,  it  is 
from  him  it  comes ;  or  if  not  from  him,  then 
fromFintain,  that  Tuan  said  was  older  again 
than  himself,  as  he  was ;  being  son  of  Bochra, 
son  of  Bith,  son  of  Noah. 

145  u 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

FINTAIN'S      And  when  Fintain  came  to 
YEW  TREE     Ireland  is  not  known ;   but 
anyway  it  was  for  him  and  for  Tuan  that 
Diarmuid  King  of  Teamhuir  sent  one  time 
when  there  wasa dispute  aboutlandandabout 
the  old  custom.  And  when  Fintain  came  he 
had  eighteen  troops  with  him,  nine  before 
him  and  nineafter  him,  thatwereall  of  them 
his  children's  children.  Andwhen  the  king's 
people  askedhowfar  did  his  memory  goback 
T  willtell  you  that'  he  said.  Tpassedone  day 
through  the  west  of  Munster,and  I  brought 
home  with  me  a  red  berry  of  a  yew  tree  and 
I  planted  it  in  my  garden  and  it  grew  there  till 
it  was  the  height  of  a  man.  I  took  it  out  of 
the  garden  then  andl  planted  it  in  the  green 
lawn  before  my  house,  and  it  grew  in  that 
lawn  till  a  hundredfighting  men  couldcome 
together  under  its  branches,  and  find  shelter 
there  from  wind  and  rain  and  cold  and  heat. 
And  I  myself  and  my  yew  tree  were  wearing 
out  our  time  together,  till  at  last  all  the  leaves 
withered  and  fell  from  it.  And  then  to  get 
some  profit  from  it  I  cut  it  down  and  I  made 
from  itseven  vats, seven kieves, seven  barrels, 
seven  churns,  seven  pitchers,  seven  measures, 
seven  methers,with  hoops  for  all.  I  went  on 
then  with  my  yew  vessels  till  the  hoops  fell 

146 


]  OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

from  them  with  age  and  rottenness.  After 
that  I  made  them  over  again,  but  all  I  could 
get  was  a  kieveout  of  the  vat,  a  barrel  out  of 
the  kieve,  a  mug  out  of  the  barrel,  a  pitcher 
out  of  the  mug,  a  measure  out  of  thepitcher, 
and  amether  out  of  the  measure.  And  I  leave 
it  to  the  great  God'  he  said  ^that  1  do  not 
knowwhereis  their  dust  now,  after  thecrum- 
bling  of  them  away  from  me  through  age.' 
HOW  CONCHUBAR  The  time  Conchu- 
THE  HIGH  KING  bar  High  King  of 
DIED  FOR  CHRIST  Irelandwas  fighting 
in  Connacht  and  was  given  a  wound  in  the 
head  with  a  hard  ball  that  lodged  there,  it 
was  Fintain  the  great  healertendedhim,  and 
took  athread  of  gold  that  was  the  one  colour 
with  the  King'shairandsewedup  the  wound. 
And  he  badehimto  becarefuland  not  to  give 
way  to  anger  or  to  passion,  and  not  to  be 
runningortogoridingon  ahorse.  So  through 
seven  years  he  stayed  in  his  quietness  until 
the  coming  of  the  Friday  of  the  Crucifixion. 
And  on  that  day  he  took  notice  of  a  change 
that  came  over  the  world,  and  of  the  darkening 
of  the  sun  untilthemoon  wasseen  at  the  full ; 
and  he  asked  his  druid  that  was  with  him 
the  meaningofthat  great  change.  Tt  is  Jesus 
Christ  the  Son  of  God'  said  the  druid  'that  is 

147 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

at  this  time  meeting  with  his  death  by  the 
Jews.  'Itisapity'saidConchubar 'thathe  did 
notcalloutfor  thehelp  of  aHighKing.  And 
that  would  bring  me  myself  there'  he  said  'in 
the  shape  of  a  hardy  fighter,  my  lips  twitch- 
ing, until  the  great  courage  of  a  champion 
would  be  heard  breaking  a  gap  of  battle 
between  two  armies.  It  is  with  Christ  my 
help  would  be;  a  wild  shout  going  out;  the 
keening  of  a  full  lord,  a  full  loss.  Iwouldmake 
my  complaint  to  the  trusty  army  of  the  high 
feats,  their  ready  beautiful  help  would  relieve 
him;  beautiful  the  overthrowing  I  would  give 
his  enemies;  beautiful  thefight  Iwouldmake 
for  Christ  that  is  defouled;  I  would  not  rest 
although  my  own  body  was  tormented.  Why 
would  we  not  cry  after  Christ,  he  that  iskilled 
in  Armenia,  he  that  is  more  worthy  than  any 
worthy  king  .?  I  would  go  to  death  for  his 
safety;  itcrushes  myheart  to  hear  the  outcries 
and  thelamentations!'  Andwith  thathetook 
his  sword  and  he  rushed  at  an  oakwood  that 
was  near  at  hand,  and  began  to  hack  and  to 
fell  the  trees;  and  it  is  what  he  said  that  if  he 
could  be  among  the  Jews,  that  is  the  treatment 
he  wouldgive  them.  And  from  thegreatness 
of  the  anger  that  grippedhim,  the  old  wound 
in  his  head  burst  open  and  the  ball  started 

J48 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

from  it  and  brought  away  the  brain  with  it. 
And  that  is  the  way  Conchubar  King  of 
Ireland  met  with  his  death. 
THE  WONDERS  ^^  ^he  old  time  the 
TOLD  BY  PHILIP  people  used  to  be  look- 
THE  APOSTLE  ing  at  the  moon  and  at 
THAT  WAS  the  sun  and  the  rest  of 

CALLED  THE  the  stars,  travelling  and 

EVER-LIVING  ever-traveUingthrough 

TONGUE  ^j^^  day,andattheflow- 

ing  and  ever-flowing  of  the  world's  wells  and 
rivers,  and  at  the  sadness  of  the  earth  and  the 
trance  and  the  sleep  of  it  with  the  coming  of 
winter,and  therising  of  the  world  again  with 
the  coming  of  the  summer.  But  itwas  all  like 
a  head  in  a  bag  to  them  or  like  living  in  a  dark 
house,  until  such  time  as  Philip  the  Apostle 
told  the  whole  story  of  the  making  of  heaven 
and  earth  at  the  great  gathering  in  the  east  of 
the  world.  It  is  the  way  that  gathering  was, 
it  lasted  through  the  four  seasons  under  nine 
hundred  white  golden-crowned  canopies  up- 
on the  hill  of  Sion.  And  five  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  fifty  tower-candles  andprecious 
stones  therewerekindled  andgivingoutlight 
that  there  might  be  no  hindrance  from  any 
sort  of  weather.  Late  now  upon  Easter  Eve 
there  washeardaclear  voice  that  wasspeaking 

149 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

the  language  of  the  angels,  and  the  sound  of  it 
was  like  the  laughter  of  an  army  or  like  the 
outcry  of  a  very  big  wind;  and  with  that  it 
was  no  louder  than  the  talk  of  friend  in  the 
ear  of  friend,  and  it  was  sweeter  than  any 
music.  That  now  was  the  voice  of  Philip  the 
Apostle,  for  it  was  he  was  sent  to  tell  out  the 
story  of  the  making  of  the  world;  and  it  is 
long  he  was  speaking  and  these  are  some  of 
the  wonders  that  he  told. 
THE  SEVEN  As  to  the  Seven  Heavens  that 
HEAVENS  are  around  the  earth,  the  first 
of  them  is  the  bright  cloudy  heaven  that  is 
the  nearest  and  that  has  shining  out  of  it  the 
moon  and  thescattering  of  stars.  Beyond  that 
are  two  flaming  heavens,  angels  are  in  them 
andthebreakinglooseofwinds.  Beyond  those 
an  ice-cold  heaven,  bluer  than  any  blue, 
seven  times  colder  than  any  snow,  and  it  is 
outof  thatcomes  theshiningof  the  sun.  Two 
heavensthereareabove  that  again, brightlike 
flame,  and  it  is  out  of  them  shine  the  fiery 
stars  that  put  fruitfulnessin  the  clouds  and  in 
the  sea.  A  high  heaven,  high  and  fiery,  there 
isabove  all  the  rest ;  highestof  all  itis,  having 
within  it  the  rolling  of  the  skies,  and  thelabour 
of  music,  and  choirs  of  angels.  In  the  belts 
now  of  the  seven  heavens  are  hidden  the 

150 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

twelve  shaking  beasts  that  have  fiery  heads 
upon  theirheavenlybodiesand  that  areblow^- 
ing  twelve  winds  about  the  world.  In  the 
same  belts  are  sleeping  the  dragonswith  fiery 
breath,  tower-headed,  blemished,  that  give 
out  the  crash  of  the  thunders  and  blow 
lightnings  out  of  their  eyes. 
THE  SECRETS  There  are  three  waters  of 
OF  THE  SEA  the  sea  now  around  the 
world.  The  first  of  them  is  a  seven-shaped  sea 
under  the  belly  of  theworld,  and  against  that 
sea  hellis  roaringandraising  up  ashout  inthe 
valley.  The  second  is  a  sea  green  and  bright 
round  about  the  earth  on  every  side ;  ebbing 
and  flood  it  has  and  casting  up  of  fruits.  The 
third  sea  is  a  seaaflame,  ninewinds  are  letout 
of  the  heavens  to  call  it  from  its  sleep;  three 
scoreand  tenandfourhundred  songs  its  waves 
sing,  and  it  awakened;  a  noise  of  thunder 
comesroaring  out  of  itsv/ave-voice;  flooding 
and  ever  flooding  it  is  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  and  with  all  that  it  is  neverfull  but 
of  a  Sunday.  In  its  sleep  it  is  till  the  thunders 
of  the  winds  are  awakened  by  the  coming  of 
God's  Sunday  from  heaven, andby  themusic 
of  the  angels.  Along  with  those  there  are 
many  kinds  of  seas  around  the  earth  on  every 
side;  a  red  sea  having  many  precious  stones, 

151 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

bright  as  blood,  well  coloured,  golden,  be- 
tween the  lands  of  Egypt  and  the  lands  of 
India.  A  sea  bright,  many-sanded,  of  the 
colour  of  snow,  in  thenorth  around  theislands 
of  Sabarn.  Sogreatis  thestrength  ofitswaves 
that  they  break  and  scatter  to  the  height  of 
the  clouds.  Then  a  sea  waveless,  black  as  a 
beetle ;  no  ship  reaching  it  has  escaped  from 
it  again  but  one  boat  only  by  the  lightness 
of  its  goingand  thestrengthof  itssails;  shoals 
of  beaststherearelyinginthat  sea.  Asea  there 
is  in  the  ocean  to  the  south  of  the  island  of 
Ebian.  At  the  first  of  the  summer  it  rises  in  \ 
flood  till  it  ebbs  at  the  coming  of  winter ; 
half  the  year  it  is  in  flood  it  is,  and  half  the 
yearalwaysebbing.  Itsbeasts  and  itsmonsters 
mourn  at  the  time  of  its  ebbing  and  they  fall 
into  sadness  and  sleep.  They  awake  and 
welcome  its  flooding,  and  the  wells  and  the 
streams  of  the  world  increase;  goingandcom- 
ing  again  they  are  through  its  valleys. 
FOUR  OF  THE  The  well  of  Ebian  turns 

WORLD'S  WELLS  to  many  colours  in  the 
course  of  every  day.  The  colour  of  snow  is  in 
it  from  the  risingof  the  sun  to  tierce;  green  it 
is,  many-changing  like  serpents,  from  tierce 
to  nones.  From  nones  to  dawn  it  is  turned 
to  the  colour  of  blood;  no  smile  or  laughter 

152 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

comes  upon  the  mouth  that  has  tasted  it  for 
ever.  The  well  of  Assian  in  Lybia  gives  help 
to  barren  women  ;  drinking  it  they  bear 
children.  Thewellof  Presens  rises  upagainst 
killers  of  parents,  and  idolworshippers,andall 
bad  persons.  Every  mouth  that  tastes  it  turns 
to  anger  and  madness  andnever  speaks  again, 
but  perishes  in  grief  and  mourning.  The 
well  of  Zion  flows  full  on  every  Sunday; 
shiningat  nightlike  the  sun  it  is,  andturning 
to  every  beautiful  colour  from  holy  hour  to 
hour.  There  isno  tasteof  oil  or  wineorhoney 
in  the  world  that  is  not  found  in  it,  and  it 
never  rests  from  filling  and  is  never  seen  to 
flow  away  on  any  side.  Sadness  or  trouble  of 
mind  has  never  come  upon  any  one  who  has 
drunk  of  it,  and  he  has  not  been  given  over 
to  death. 

THE  FOUR  The  stone  Adamant 

PRECIOUS  STONES  in  the  land  of  India 
grows  no  colder  in  any  wind  or  snow  or  ice; 
there  is  no  heat  in  it  under  burning  sods; 
nothing  is  broken  from  it  by  the  striking  of 
axes  and  of  hammers ;  there  is  one  thing 
only  breaks  that  stone,  the  Blood  of  the 
Lamb  at  the  Mass ;  and  every  king  that 
has  taken  that  stone  in  his  right  hand 
before  going  into  battle,  has  always  gained 

153  X 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

the  victory.  The  stone  Hibien  in  the  lands 
of  Hab  flames  like  a  fiery  candle  in  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night.  It  spills  out  poison  put  be- 
fore it  in  a  vessel;  every  snake  that  comesnear 
to  it  or  crosses  it  dies  on  the  moment.  The 
stone  of  Istien  in  the  lands  of  Lybia  is  found 
in  the  brains  of  dragons  after  their  death. 
The  poolsandthegreatlakes  boil  up  by  reason 
of  it  over  their  borders ;  it  shines  through 
water;  it  is  like  thunder  in  the  w^inter  time 
but  in  summer  it  has  the  sound  of  the  winds. 
The  stone  of  Fanes  in  the  lands  of  Aulol  out 
of  the  stream  of  Dara.  Twelve  stars  there 
are  seen  in  its  side  and  the  wheel  of  the  moon 
and  the  fiery  journey  of  thesun.  In  the  hearts 
of  the  dragons  it  is  always  found  that  make 
their  journey  under  the  sea.  No  one  having 
it  in  his  hand  can  tell  any  lie  till  he  has  put 
it  from  him.  No  race  or  army  could  bring  it 
into  a  house  where  there  is  one  that  has  made 
away  with  his  father.  At  the  hour  of  matins 
it  gives  out  sweet  music  that  there  is  not  the 
like  of  under  heaven. 

THE  FOUR  TREES  The  tree  Sames 
THAT  HAVE  A  LIFE  at  the  meeting  of 
LIKE  THE  ANGELS  Jor  and  Dan  bears 
its  fruit  three  times  every  year.  Bright  green 
its  first  fruit  is,  and  red  the  next,  and  the  last 

154 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

is  shining;  when  the  first  of  the  fruit  is  ripe 
another  grows  out  of  its  flowers,  and  every 
witless  person  tasting  that  fruit  comes  back 
into  his  right  mind.  No  leaf  has  ever  fallen 
from  that  tree,  and  there  is  no  person 
having  sickness  upon  him  or  blemish,  but 
is  healed  through  coming  under  its  shadow. 
The  tree  of  Life  in  Adam's  Paradise ;  no 
mouth  that  has  tasted  its  fruit  has  gone  to 
death  afterwards,  and  it  was  by  reason  of 
that  tree  Adam  and  Eve  were  banished  out 
of  Paradise ;  for  if  they  had  tasted  its  fruit 
death  would  not  have  come  to  them  at  any 
time, but  they  would  have  been  ever-living. 
Twelve  times  it  bears  fruit  every  year,  in 
every  month  a  well-coloured  harvest ;  and 
the  sweet  smell  of  Paradise  reaches  out  from 
it  as  far  as  a  seven  summer  days'  journey. 
The  tree  Alab  in  the  islands  of  Sab  is  shaped 
in  the  form  of  a  man ;  the  blossoms  of  it 
quell  every  disease  and  every  poison ;  the 
sweet  smell  of  its  flowers  is  felt  to  the  length 
of  a  journey  of  six  summer  days;  precious 
stones  are  the  kernels  of  its  fruit.  Anger 
it  banishes  and  envy  it  banishes  from 
every  heart  that  its  juice  has  run  over. 
The  tree  Nathaben  in  the  lands  of  the 
Hebrews  south  of  Mount  Zion.  That  tree 

155 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

was  never  found  by  any  son  of  men  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world,  but  on  the  one 
day  only  when  there  was  need  of  a  tree  for 
Christ's  hanging ;  and  it  is  from  its  branches 
theCrosswas  made  through  which  the  world 
was  saved.  Seven  times  it  bears  fruit  in  the 
year,  and  seven  times  it  changes  its  flowers, 
and  the  brightness  of  the  moon  and  of  the 
sun  and  the  shining  of  the  stars  shine  out  of 
them;  and  its  leaves  and  its  flowers  sing  to- 
gether since  the  beginning  of  theworld,  two 
and  seventy  kinds  of  music  at  the  coming  of 
the  winds.  Three  score  birds  and  five  and 
three  hundred,  bright  like  snow,  golden- 
winged,  sing  many  songs  from  its  branches  ; 
it  is  a  right  language  they  sing  together,  but 
the  ears  of  men  do  not  recognise  it. 
THE  JOURNEY  God  made  on  the  fourth 
OF  THE  SUN  day  the  two  and  seventy 
kinds  of  the  wandering  stars  of  heaven,  and 
the  fiery  course  of  the  sun  that  warms  the 
world  with  the  sense  and  the  splendour  of 
angels.  Twelve  plains  there  are  under  the 
body  of  the  earth  he  lightensevery  night ;  the 
fiery  sea  laughs  against  his  journey ;  ranks  of 
angels  come  together,  welcoming  his  visit 
after  the  brightness  of  the  night.  The  first 
place  he  brightens  is  the  stream  beyond  the 

156 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

seas,  with  news  of  the  eastern  waters.  Then 
he  Hghtens  the  ocean  of  fire  and  the  seas  of 
sulphur-fire  that  are  round  about  the  red 
countries.  Then  he  shines  upon  the  troops 
of  boys  in  the  pleasant  fields,  who  send  out 
their  cry  to  heaven  through  dread  of  the 
beast  that  kills  thousands  of  armies  under 
the  waves  of  the  south.  Then  he  shines  upon 
the  mountains  that  have  streams  of  fire, 
on  the  hosts  that  protect  them  in  the  plains. 
Then  the  ribs  of  the  great  beast  shine,  and 
the  four  and  twenty  champions  rise  up  in 
the  valley  of  pain.  He  shines  overagainst  the 
terrible  many-thronged  fence  in  the  north 
that  has  closed  around  the  people  of  hell.  He 
shines  on  the  dark  valleys  having  sorrowful 
streams  over  their  faces.  He  brightens  the 
ribs  of  the  beast  that  sends  out  the  many  seas 
around  the  earth ;  that  sucks  in  again  the 
many  seas  till  the  sands  on  every  side  are 
dry.  He  shines  upon  the  many  beasts  that 
sleep  their  sleep  of  tears  in  the  valley  of 
flowersfrom  the  first  beginningof  the  world  ; 
and  on  the  sorrowful  tearful  plain,  with  the 
dragons  that  were  set  under  the  mist.  He 
shines  then  upon  the  bird-flocks  singing 
their  many  tunes  in  the  flower-valleys ;  upon 
the  shining  plainswith  the  wine-flowers  that 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

lighten  the  valley  ;  heshinesat  thelastagainst 
Adam's  Paradise  till  he  rises  up  in  the  morning 
from  the  east.  There  would  be  many  stories 
nowforthe  sun  to  tell  upon  his  journey,  if  he 
had  but  a  tongue  to  give  them  out. 
THE  NATURE  The  stars  nov^  differ  in 
OF  THE  STARS  their  nature  from  one 
another.  As  to  the  ten  stars  of  Gaburn, 
trembling  takeshold  of  them,  andfiery  manes 
are  put  over  their  faces,  toforetella  plague  or 
a  death  of  the  people.  Other  stars  there  are 
that  bring  great  heat  or  great  cold  or  great 
mists  upon  the  earth ;  others  there  are  that 
run  to  encourage  the  dragons  that  blow 
lightnings  on  the  world ;  others  of  them 
run  to  the  end  of  fifty  years  and  then  ask 
their  time  for  sleeping.  To  the  end  of  seven 
years  they  sleep  till  they  awake  at  the  shout 
of  the  blessed  angels,  and  the  voices  of  the 
dragons  of  the  valley.  Others  run  through 
thesix  daysand  the  six  nights  till  the  coming 
of  the  Sunday ;  at  its  beginning  they  begin 
theirmanykindsof  music,  and  they  fall  asleep 
again  till  the  coming  again  from  heaven  of 
God's  Sunday,  and  with  that  they  follow  the 
same  round. 

THE  HIGH  EVER-     The    birds    of    the 
LIVING  BIRDS  island  Naboth,  it  is  a 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

pleasant  work  they  are  doing ;  they  give  a 
welcome  to  the  heat  and  to  the  colours  of 
the  summer;  at  midnight  they  awake  and 
sing  the  sweet  string-music ;  there  never 
was  seen  upon  the  floor  of  the  world  any 
colour  that  is  not  upon  their  wings. 
The  birds  of  Sabes ;  their  wings  shine  in  the 
i]ight-time  like  candles  of  fire;  sickness  is 
turned  to  health  under  the  shadow  of  their 
wings;  they  fall  into  a  sleep  of  darkness  in 
the  cold  time  of  the  winter;  at  the  first  of 
the  summer  they  awake.  They  sing  in  their 
sleep  a  high  pleasant  song,  that  is  like  the 
thunder  of  wind. 

The  birds  of  Abuad  in  the  islands  between 
the  east  of  Africa  and  the  sky ;  their  feathers 
have  lasted  on  them  from  the  very  beginning 
j  of  the  world ;  there  is  not  one  bird  of  them 
wanting;  there  is  no  increase  of  their  num- 
|bers.  The  sweet  smell  of  the  flowers,  the 
taste  of  the  seven  wine-rivers  of  the  plain 
where  they  have  their  dwelling,  that  is  their 
lasting  food;  they  sing  their  song  in  a  right 
fashion,  till  the  coming  of  the  song  of  the 
angels  in  the  night. 

The  three  bird-flocks  are  divided ;  they  give 
their  share  of  music  to  the  humming  of  the 
angels  overhead;  swift  as  riders  on  horses 

159 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

they  travel  quickly  through  the  air.  Two 
birds  and  seventy  and  seventy  thousand  and 
no  lie  in  it,  that  is  the  number  surely  in  every 
flock  of  the  birds. 

The  first  of  the  flocks  sing  pleasantly ;  it  is 
not  unfitting  is  their  sweetness,  the  whole  of 
the  wonderful  courses  that  God  made  before 
the  world. 

The  birds  that  are  well-wishers  tell  out  in 
the  end  of  the  night-time  all  the  wonders 
God  will  do  in  the  day  of  the  Judgement  of 
the  Racings. 

If  men  could  but  hear  those  birds  without 
fault  giving  out  their  pleasant  talking,  and 
ever  to  part  with  that  music  again,  they 
would  die  with  fretting  after  it. 
FOUR  OF  THE  As  to  the  fighting-men 
STRANGE  of  the  island  of  Ebia,  six 

RACES  OF  andfiftyfeetisthelength 

MANKIND  of  every  one  of  them. 

They  do  not  awake  out  of  their  sleep  but 
through  a  storm  of  the  sea  or  the  outcry  of 
a  battle  or  the  sound  of  music;  when  they 
rise  up  out  of  sleep  their  eyes  are  shining 
like  the  stars.  They  conquer  the  seas  by 
a  hint  from  their  eyes  till  the  beasts  of 
it  cast  themselves  ashore  to  satisfy  them. 
Fair  flaming  people  in  the  island  of  Idab; 

i6o 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

flames  come  from  their  mouth  in  the  weight 
of  their  anger;  their  eyes  shine  hke  candles 
in  the  night  time ;  the  hair  and  the  bodies 
of  them  shine  Hke  snow  smelted  into  great 
whiteness  ;  fishfrommanyseas,  without  boil- 
ing, without  broiling,  that  is  their  provision. 
The  women  in  the  mountains  of  Armenia, 
their  bodies  are  greater  than  those  of  any 
people;  they  bear  daughters  only;  their 
anger  and  their  courage  as  they  go  into 
battle  is  harder  than  the  anger  of  men. 
They  rise  from  their  sleep  at  midnight, 
they  loose  flashes  of  fire  from  their  mouths ; 
their  beards  reach  to  their  middle ;  there 
is  always  found  in  their  right  hand  after 
birth,  gold  that  is  brighter  than  every  blaze. 
The  people  of  Fones  in  the  lands  of  Lybia; 
their  eyes  flame  like  sparks  of  fire  in  their 
anger;  there  cannot  come  enough  of  men 
about  one  of  them  to  put  him  down  by 
force  ;  thestrength  and  thesweetness  oftheir 
voices  are  above  any  voices  and  any  horns ; 
at  the  time  of  their  dying  it  is  a  stream  of 
wine  that  comes  from  their  mouth  ;  in  their 
sleep  they  sing  a  mournful  song,  the  like  of 
it  has  not  been  found. 

THE  VALLEY     So  great  is  the  greatness  of 
OF  PAIN  the  cold  there,  that  if  a 

l6l  Y 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

breath  the  like  of  it  could  be  thrown  into 
the  world  through  the  hole  of  a  pipe,  every 
bird  in  the  air  and  every  beast  under  the  sea 
and  everythingliving  on  the  earthwoulddie. 
So  great  is  the  fierceness  of  the  fire  there,  that 
if  some  of  it  should  be  cast  into  the  world 
through  a  pipe,  all  the  waters  would  ebb  be- 
fore it,  and  the  living  beasts  in  the  sea  would 
burn. 

So  great  is  the  greatness  of  the  hunger  and 
thirst  there,  that  if  a  share  of  it  could  be 
thrown  into  the  world  for  one  hour  only,  all 
that  it  would  find  of  beasts  and  of  men  and 
of  birds,  would  perish  in  that  hour  through 
hunger  and  through  thirst. 
So  great  is  the  greatness  of  the  fear  there,  that 
if  one  grain  of  such  fear  should  come  into 
the  world,  all  the  creatures  of  the  sea  and  of 
the  air  and  the  earth, would  fall  into  madness 
and  lose  their  wits  through  the  dint  of  the 
terror,  and  would  die. 

Such  is  the  greatness  of  the  grief  and  the 
sorrow  there,  that  if  any  of  it  could  be  cast 
through  a  pipe  into  the  world,  there  would 
be  no  warmth,  nor  pleasure,  nor  faces  of 
friends,  nor  wine,  nor  welcome :  but  every 
heart  it  came  to  would  die  under  crying  and 
under  grief. 

162 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

It  was  Philip  the  Apostle  told  out  these 
wonders  and  many  others  along  with  them 
to  the  kings  and  the  people  and  the  children 
at  the  great  gathering  in  the  east  of  the 
world. 

THE  CLOUD  OF  The  time  Mochaem- 
WITNESSES  hog,  saint  of  the  Gael, 

made  his  dwelling-place  at  Liath  Mor,  the 
King  of  Munster  took  a  liking  to  a  meadow 
belonging  to  him,  and  he  put  his  horses  into 
it;  and  when  Mochaemhog  got  word  of  that 
hewent  and  turned  them  out  of  themeadow. 
There  was  great  anger  on  the  King  then,  and 
he  gave  orders  the  saint  should  be  banished 
out  of  the  country.  But  when  Mochaemhog 
heard  that,  he  went  straight  to  Cashel  of 
the  Kings,  and  he  himself  and  the  King  of 
Munster  disputedfor  a  while.  And  after  that 
in  the  night  time  the  king  had  a  vision,  and 
in  the  vision  an  old  man,  very  comely  and 
shining,  came  to  him  and  took  him  by  the 
hand, and  led  him  from  the  room  to  the  wall 
of  Cashel  that  was  to  the  south  side,  and 
from  it  he  saw  the  whole  of  Magh  Femen 
filled  with  a  host  of  white  saints  having  the 
appearance  of  flowers.  He  asked  what  great 
host  that  was,  and  the  old  man  said  they  were 
Blessed  Patrick  and  the  saints  of  Ireland  that 

163 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

had  come  to  thehelp  of  Mochaemhog.  'And 
if  you  do  do  not  make  an  agreement  with 
him'  he  said  'you  will  meet  with  your 
death/  The  king  fell  asleep  then,  and  he  saw 
the  old  man  coming  to  him  a  second  time, 
and  he  took  him  by  the  hand  again  and  led 
him  to  the  wall  on  the  north  side.  And  from 
there  he  showed  him  a  sight  like  the  first,  the 
whole  of  MaghMossaid  filled  with  a  shining 
flowery  host,  having  white  clothing;  and  it 
seemed  to  the  king  that  they  stopped  at  the 
mering  between  the  two  plains.  And  the  old 
man  told  him  that  was  the  host  of  Saint 
Brigitand  all  theholy  young  girls  of  Ireland, 
that  were  brought  there  by  Blessed  Ita,  that 
was  of  the  kindred  of  Mochaemhog  and  his 
fosterer. 

A  PRAISE  OF  Caillen,  saint  of  the  Gael, 
CAILLEN  AND  told  the  whole  story  of  Ire- 
HIS  BLESSED  land  from  the  very  beginn- 
DEATH  ing^  ii  ^as  by  Finntain  the 

high  elderof  Ireland  he  wasreared  and  taken 
careof  untilhis  hundredth  yearwasatan  end. 
He  sent  him  then  to  the  East  the  way  he 
would  bring  back  knowledge  to  the  men 
of  Ireland.  And  he  stopped  there  in  the 
East  through  the  length  of  two  hundred 
years. 

164 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

It  was  an  angelbrought  him  back  to  Ireland, 
to  the  Yew  Tree  at  Baile's  Strand  to  wear  out 
the  rest  of  his  Ufe.  'And  the  reason  I  stop  here' 
he  said  'in  Ireland  of  many  crosses,  is  that  I 
never  saw  to  this  day  a  country  that  is  more 
blessed.' 

It  was  Caillen  turned  the  druids  into  stone 
pillars  because  they  mocked  at  the  clerks ;  it 
is  he  was  an  unebbing  sea  in  wonders  and  in 
lasting  praise  of  his  Master, 
Columcille  came  and  stopped  with  him  a 
while  at  the  place  of  Baile's  Yew  Tree.  His 
choice  place  it  was  of  all  he  had  ever  seen, 
north  or  east,  south  or  west. 
Conall  King  of  Teamhuir  put  it  on  his  chil- 
dren to  pay  tribute  to  Caillen  and  to  them 
that  came  after  him  for  ever ;  it  is  the  tribute 
he  promised,  in  the  presence  of  the  saints  of 
Ireland,  the  riding  horse  of  every  king  in 
every  third  year,  and  his  coloured  cloak;  and 
a  horse  from  the  wife  of  every  chief  man. 
Thesureties  now  of  that  tribute  were  Patrick 
apostle  of  Ireland  with  hissaints,  and  Michael 
with  the  angels  of  heaven. 
It  was  Patrick  gave  Caillen  the  bell  that 
would  heal  every  sickness  and  every  oppres- 
sion and  trouble,  and  that  brought  to  the  sons 
of  Niall  that  obeyed  it  fair  weather,  pros- 

165 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

perity  and  peace,  and  the  good  luck  of  a 
king  in  every  place;  &  that  bell  was  the 
breaking  of  luck  to  every  troop  it  was  rung 
against. 

When  God  thought  it  time  Caillen  should 
go  to  heaven, andwhen  the  people  of  heaven 
were  standing  waiting  for  him,  it  is  in  the 
church  he  was  of  Mochaemhog,  that  had 
given  baptism  to  the  children  of  Lir. 
And  he  told  out  a  vision  he  had  that 
night ;  '  And  it  vexed  my  heart  and  my 
head  '  he  said  'for  I  saw  in  it  the  Saxons 
coming  across  the  sea,  and  I  saw  Ireland  in 
great  bondage  under  them.  And  it  is  time 
for  me  to  go  to  heaven'  he  said  'for  I  have 
fulfilled  five  hundred  years  to-night.  And 
when  my  body  is  buried '  he  said  *there 
will  be  a  host  of  angels  near  me.  For  three 
hundred  angels  there  used  to  be  about  me  at 
my  rising  and  at  my  lying  down  in  my  bed; 
and  I  never  said  the  Hours  until  such  time  as 
I  heard  the  people  of  Heaven  doing  the  like.' 
Until  now,  the  stars  of  the  sky,  and  the  sands 
of  the  sea,  and  the  grass  and  the  rest  of  the 
herbs  of  the  earth, andthedew  that  is  on  them 
are  counted,  I  could  not  tell  all  the  wonders 
done  by  blessed  Caillen,  unless  an  angel  of 
God  would  teach  me. 

i66 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

THE  CALLING     There  is  blood  shed  in 
OF  MARTIN  every  house  of  the  Gael 

THE  MILLER  in  Ireland  on  Saint  Mar- 
tin's day,  for  he  is  a  great  saint  and  he  has 
given  good  help  to  many  a  poor  man.  A 
miller  he  w^as,  and  the  Blessed  Mother  and 
the  Child  came  to  him  one  time  at  the  mill, 
and  the  Mother  heldout  afevs^grainsof  w^heat 
in  her  hand  and  she  said  'Put  those  in  the 
quern  and  turn  the  wheel  for  me.'  'It  is  no 
use'  said  he 'to  put  inalittle  handful  of  grains 
like  that.'  'It  isuse'  said  the  Blessed  Mother. 
So  he  put  them  in  the  quern  then  and  turned 
the  wheel,  and  there  were  ten  sacks  in  the 
place,  and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  flour 
that  came  from  those  few  grains.  And  when 
Saint  Martin  saw  that,  he  sold  the  mill  and 
all  that  he  had,  and  went  following  after  the 
Blessed  Mother  and  the  Child. 
MARTIN  AND  He  went  to  a  house 

THE  GRASS-CORN  one  time,  and  the 
farmer  that  owned  the  house  was  out  scatter- 
ing water  on  the  field,  for  there  was  red  heat 
that  year  and  no  rain,  and  he  had  the  seed 
sown  and  he  did  not  think  the  corn  would 
grow  without  he  would  go  scattering  water 
on  it.  The  woman  of  the  house  told  that  to 
Saint  Martin;  and  she  was  mixing  dough  at 

167 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

the  time,  and  he  asked  a  bit  of  the  dough  of 
her  and  shegaveit,for  he  had  the  appearance 
of  a  poor  man.  And  he  put  the  bit  of  dough 
she  gave  him  in  the  oven  and  went  away  leav- 
ing it  there.  And  when  the  woman  of  the 
house  opened  the  oven  after  a  while,  there 
was  grass-corn  growing  up  through  the 
dough,  and  a  drop  of  dew  on  the  top  of  every 
blade.  Itwasfor  an  example  Martin  did  that, 
to  show  the  man  of  the  house  that  God  could 
make  grass-corn  grow  even  in  the  heat  of  the 
oven  ;  for  if  he  had  believed  that,  he  would 
not  have  gone  scattering  water  over  the  fields. 
THE  BIRTH  When  Rhinagh  that  was  of 
OF  COLMAN  the  race  of  Dathi  was  with 
OF  AIDHNE  child  by  Duach,  it  was  told 
to  the  King  of  Connachtof  that  timethatthe 
son  shewould  bear  would  be  greater  than  his 
own  sons.  And  when  he  heard  that,  he  bade 
his  people  to  make  an  end  of  Rhinagh  before 
the  child  would  be  born.  And  they  took  her 
and  tied  a  heavy  stone  about  her  neck  and 
threw  her  into  the  deep  part  of  the  river, 
where  it  rises  inside  Coole.  But  by  the  help 
of  God,  the  stone  thatwas  put  about  her  neck 
did  not  sink  butwentfloatingupon  the  water, 
and  she  came  to  the  shore  and  was  savedfrom 
drowning.  And  that  stone  is  to  be  seen  yet, 

i68 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

and  it  having  the  mark  of  the  rope  that  was 
put  around  it.  Andjustat  that  timetherewas 
a  blind  man  had  a  dream  in  the  north  about  a 
well  beside  a  certain  ash  tree,  and  he  was  told 
in  the  dream  he  would  get  his  sight  if  he 
bathed  in  the  water  of  that  well.  And  a  lame 
man  had  a  dreamabout  the  samewell  that  he 
would  find  at  Kiltartan,and  that  there  would 
be  healingin  itfor  his  lameness.  And  they  set 
out  together,  the  lame  man  carrying  the  man 
that  had  lost  his  sight,  till  they  came  to  the 
tree  they  had  dreamed  about.  But  all  the  field 
was  dry,  and  there  wasno  sign  of  water  unless 
thatbesidethetreetherewas  a  bunchof  green 
rushes.  And  then  the  lame  man  saw  there  w^as 
a  light  shining  out  from  among  the  rushes ; 
and  when  they  came  to  them  they  heard  the 
cry  of  a  child,  and  there  by  the  tree  was  the 
little  baby  that  was  afterwards  Saint  Colman. 
And  they  took  him  up  and  they  said  'If  we 
had  water  we  would  baptize  him.'  And  with 
that  they  pulled  up  a  root  of  the  rushes,  and 
a  well  sprang  up  and  they  baptized  him ;  and 
that  well  is  there  to  this  day.  And  the  water 
in  springing  up  splashed  upon  them, and  the 
lame  was  cured  of  his  lameness,  and  the  blind 
mangothissight.  And  manythatwould  have 
their  blindnesscured  go  and  sleep  besidethat 

169  z 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

well;  and  many  that  are  going  to  cross  the  sea 
to  America,  take  with  them  a  bit  of  a  blessed 
board  from  an  old  tree  that  is  in  that  field. 
HIS  HOME  He  was  a  great  saint  after- 
IN  BURREN  wards,  and  his  name  is  in 
every  place.  Seven  years  he  was  living  in 
Burren  in  a  cleft  of  the  mountains,  no  one  in 
itbuthimself  and  a  mouse.  It  wasfor  company 
he  kept  the  mouse,and  itwould  awaken  him 
when  hewasasleep  andwhen  the  timewould 
come  for  him  to  be  minding  the  Hours.  And 
it  is  not  known  in  the  world  what  did  the 
dear  man  get  for  food  through  all  that  time. 
And  that  place  he  lived  in  is  a  very  holy 
place,  being  as  it  is  between  two  blessed 
wells.  No  thunder  falls  on  it,  or  if  there  is 
thunder  it  is  very  little,  and  does  no  injury. 
THE  LITTLE  LAD  And  if  it  is  long  since 
AND  THE  BIRDS  Colman  left  this  life 
and  the  churches  he  had  made,  it  is  well  he 
minds  the  people  yet,  and  there  are  many  get 
their  eyesight  at  the  wells  he  blessed,  and  it 
is  many  a  kindness  he  has  done  from  time  to 
time  for  thepeople  of  Aidhne  and  of  Burren. 
There  was  a  little  lad  in  Kiltartan  one  time 
that  a  farmer  used  to  be  sending  out  to  drive 
the  birds  ofFhis  crops ;  and  there  came  a  day 
that  was  very  hot  and  he  was  tired,  and  he 

170 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

dared  not  go  in  or  fall  asleep,  for  he  was  in 
dread  of  the  farmer  beating  him.  And  he 
prayed  to  Saint  Colman,  and  the  saint  came 
and  called  the  birds  into  a  barn,  and  they  all 
stopped  there  through  the  heat  of  the  day 
till  the  httle  lad  got  a  rest,  and  never 
came  near  the  grain  or  meddled  with  it 
at  all. 

THE  LITTLE  LAD  There  was  a  boy  fell 
IN  THE  WELL  into  the  blessed  well 

that  is  near  the  seven  churches  at  Kilmac- 
duagh,  a  little  lad  he  was  at  the  time,  wear- 
ing a  little  red  petticoat  and  a  little  white 
jacket.  And  when  some  of  the  people  of  the 
house  went  to  draw  water,  they  looked  down 
in  the  well  and  saw  him  standing  up  in  the 
water,  and  they  got  him  out  and  brought  him 
in  to  the  fire  and  he  was  nothing  the  worse. 
And  he  said  it  was  a  little  greyman,  that  was 
Saint  Colman,  came  to  him  in  the  well  and 
put  hishandunderhischin,andkept  his  head 
up  over  the  water. 

COLMAN  There  was  a  man  going  home 
HELPS  A  from  Kinvara  one  night  having 
FARMER  a  bag  full  of  oats  on  the  horse. 
And  it  fell  and  he  strove  to  lift  it  again  but 
he  could  not,  for  it  was  weighty.  Then  the 
saint  himself,  Saint  Colman,  came andhelped 

171 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

him  with  it,  and  put  it  up  again  for  him  on 
the  horse. 

HE  SHOWS  There  was  another  man 

RESPECT  FOR  living  up  beyond  Corcom- 
RESPECT  ruadh,andhenever  missed 

to  go  to  the  blessed  well  that  is  above  Ought- 
mana  on  the  name  day  of  the  Saint.  And  at 
last  it  happened  he  was  sick  in  his  bed  and  he 
could  not  go.  And  Saint  Colman  came  to 
himto  the  side  of  the  bed  andsaid  'It  is  often 
you  came  to  me,  and  now  it  is  I  myself  am 
come  to  you.'  It  is  about  forty  years  ago  that 
happened. 

AVERY  Saint  Colman's  well  beyond 

GOOD  WELL  Kinvaraisa  very  good  well. 
To  perform  around  it  seven  timesyou  should, 
and  to  leave  a  button  or  a  tassel  or  some  such 
thingonthe  bush.  The  peopleof  Cooleandof 
Tyrone  used  to  be  going  to  it  at  the  time  of 
the  wars,  asking  safety  for  their  sons  and 
their  husbandsand  their  brothers.  Andwho- 
ever  would  pray  there  would  be  freed  from 
the  war,  and  would  come  safe  home  again. 
MARBHAN'S  HYMN  Marbhan  that  was 
OF  CONTENT  brother  to  Guaire 

King  of  Connacht,  left  his  brother's  house 
and  his  share  of  his  father's  inheritance,  and 
went  into  some  lonely  wild  place,  it  is  likely 

172 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

in  some  part  of  Burren,  where  Colman  that 
was  his  kinsman  had  gone.  And  some  say  he 
was  herding  pigs  for  the  King  there,  but  any- 
way he  was  serving  God.  And  King  Guaire 
followed  him  there  and  asked  him  to  come 
back  where  he  could  sleep  upon  a  bed  and 
not  be  laying  his  head  upon  a  hard  fir  tree  in 
the  night  time.  But  Marbhan  would  not 
leave  the  place  he  had  chosen,  for  he  said  he 
was  well  content  with  the  little  cabin  he  had 
in  the  wood,  and  that  no  one  had  knowledge 
of  except  God.  And  he  made  a  song  praising 
it  and  it  is  what  he  said: 
'The  size  of  my  cabin  is  small,  not  too  small; 
it  is  many  are  its  lucky  paths ;  a  beautiful 
woman,  coloured  like  a  blackbird,  sings  a 
sweet  strain  upon  the  roof. 
'Goats  and  swine  are  lying  down  about  it; 
tamepigs,wild  pigs,  grazing  deer ;  abadger's 
brood,  foxes  to  meet  them  in  peace,  that  is 
delightful. 

'An  apple  tree,  great  the  advantage,  ready 
like  an  inn,  lucky ;  a  thick  little  bush  with 
fistfuls  of  hazel-nuts ;  green,  full  of  branches. 
'A  rowan  tree,  a  sloe  bush  ;  dark  black  thorns, 
plenty  of  food;  acorns,  haws,  yew  berries; 
bare  berries,  bare  flags. 
'Buzzing  of  bees,  the  heifers  lowing,  the 

173 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

cackle  of  wild  geese  before  the  winter;  the 
voice  of  the  wind  against  the  branches;  that 
is  delightful  music. 

'And  in  the  eyes  of  Christ'  he  said  'I  am  no 
worse  off  than  yourself  Guaire,  without  one 
hourof  fighting  orthenoiseof  quarrels  in  my 
house.'  And  when  Guaire  heard  that  he  said 
he  would  be  willing  to  give  up  his  inherit- 
ance and  his  kingship  to  be  in  the  company 
of  Marbhan. 

GUAIRE,  THE  HELPER  For  if  Guaire 
OF  THE  POOR  was  not  a  saint, 

he  was  well  worthy  to  be  the  brother  and 
the  kinsman  of  saints,  and  they  would  never 
have  been  in  poverty  if  he  had  his  way.  And 
he  gave  alms  till  his  right  arm  grew  to  be 
longer  than  the  left,  with  the  dint  of  stretch- 
ing it  out  to  the  poor.  He  was  beaten  in 
battle  one  time  by  Diarmuid  Ruanaidh,  and 
he  had  to  make  his  submission,  lying 
stretched  on  the  ground,  and  having  the 
point  of  Diarmuid's  swordbeneathhis  teeth. 
And  when  he  was  lying  that  way  Diarmuid 
said  'We  will  find  out  now  is  it  for  the  love 
of  God  he  does  his  great  charity,  or  is  it  for 
the  praises  of  the  people.'  So  he  bade  a  poor 
miserable  beggar  of  his  people  to  ask  an  alms 
of  Guaire.  'An  alms  to  me  Guaire  !'  said  the 

174 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

beggar ;  and  Guaire  gave  him  his  golden  pin. 
The  beggar  went  from  him  then,  but  a  man 
of  Diarmuid's  people  followed  him  and  took 
away  the  pin  and  gave  it  to  Diarmuid.  Then 
the  beggar  came  back  to  Guaire,  complain- 
ing and  telling  how  the  pin  was  taken  from 
him.  And  there  was  pity  in  Guaire's  heart 
and  he  gave  him  his  belt  that  had  on  it 
golden  ornaments,  and  that  was  all  he  had 
left  to  him  of  riches,  and  the  beggar  went 
away,  and  Diarmuid's  people  followed  him 
the  second  time  and  took  away  the  belt  and 
gave  it  to  Diarmuid.  Then  the  beggar  came 
back  with  his  story  to  Guaire  where  he  was 
lying,  having  the  sword  between  his  teeth 
yet.  And  when  King  Guaire  saw  the  poor 
man  so  sorrowful,  great  tears  went  rolling- 
down  his  cheeks.  Diarmuid  asked  him  then 
'Is  it  for  being  conquered  by  me  you  are  in 
that  trouble  ?'  'I  give  my  word'  said  Guaire 
'it  is  not,  but  it  is  for  the  sake  of  that  beggar 
over  there.'  And  Diarmuid  said  'Rise  up,  it 
is  not  under  my  power  you  should  be,  or  to 
me  you  should  show  submission,  for  you  are 
under  the  power  of  a  king  that  is  better  than 
myself,  the  King  of  heaven  and  earth.' 
HIS  KINDNESS  One  time  there  was  a 
TO  THE  BUSH     great  troop  of  the  poets 

175 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

in  Guaire's  house  in  the  winter  time,  and  a 
woman  of  the  poets'  household  had  a  desire 
for  ripe  blackberries.  But  everybody  said 
there  were  no  blackberries  to  be  got,  ripe  or 
unripe,  at  that  time  of  the  year.  But  as  one 
of  Guaire's  people  was  out  in  the  fields  he 
saw  a  bush  that  was  covered  with  a  cloak, 
and  under  the  cloak  the  blackberries  were 
ripe  and  sound,  and  they  were  brought  in  to 
the  woman,  and  there  was  no  reproach  upon 
theKing'shouse.  This  nowwas  the  way  that 
happened:  King  Guaire  was  going  through 
the  field  at  harvest  time,  and  the  thorns  of 
the  bush  took  hold  of  the  cloakhe  was  wear- 
ing, andheld  it.  And  Guaire  was  not  willing 
to  refuse  so  much  as  a  bush  that  asked  any- 
thing of  him,  and  he  left  the  cloak  there  on 
the  branches.  And  for  that  kindness  he  got 
his  reward  in  the  end. 

THE  MAKING  OF     It  was  Marbhan  the  . 
THE  HARP  hermit  that  gave  out  J 

news  one  time  of  the  way  the  first  harp  was 
ever  made,  and  this  is  the  story  that  he  told. 
There  was  a  man  and  his  wife,  Cuil  son  of 
Midhuel  the  man  was,  and  Canoclach  was 
the  name  of  the  wife.  And  she  took  a  hatred 
to  her  husband,  and  she  was  running  from 
him   through   every  wilderness  and  every 

176 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

wood,  and  he  was  following  after  her  ever 
and  always.  One  day  now  the  woman  came 
to  the  sea  at  Camas,  and  she  was  walking 
along  the  strand  and  she  met  with  the  bare 
bones  of  a  whale,  and  she  heard  thesounds  of 
the  wind  passing  through  the  bones  and  the 
sinews,  and  with  listening  to  those  sounds 
she  fell  asleep.  And  her  husband  came  there 
and  saw  her  sleeping,  and  when  he  knew  it 
was  through  those  sounds  that  sleep  had 
fallen  upon  her,  he  went  on  into  a  wood  and 
he  made  a  shape  like  the  hard  high  breast- 
bone of  a  crane,  and  he  put  strings  into  it  of 
the  sinews  of  the  whale ;  and  that  was  the 
first  harp  of  all  the  harps  of  the  world. 
MOCHAE  AND  It  was  on  the  Island  of 
THE  BIRD  OneRidgeonLochCuan 

that  Mochae  the  Beautiful,  saint  of  the 
Gael,  built  his  church  and  the  dwelling  of 
the  brothers.  He  went  out,  now,  one  day, 
and  seven  score  young  men  with  him,  cut- 
ting rods  to  build  the  church,  and  hehimself 
was  working  like  the  rest  of  them.  He  had 
his  load  ready  before  the  others  and  he  sat 
down  beside  it ;  &  just  then  he  heard  a  bird 
singing  on  the  branch  of  a  blackthorn  that 
was  close  at  hand ;  and  it  was  more  beautiful 
than  any  of  the  birds  of  the  world.  'This  is 

177  A  A 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

hardworkyou  are  doing,  Clerk' itsaid.  'That 
is  required  ofme  in  building  a  church  of  God' 
said  Mochae.  'And  who  is  it  is  speaking  to 
me?'  he  said.  'It  is  an  angel  of  God  is  here' 
said  the  bird  'one  of  the  people  of  Heaven.' 
'A  welcome  to  you  and  for  what  cause  are 
you  come  ? '  'To  speak  the  word  of  God  and 
to  cheer  you  for  a  while.'  'That  pleases  me 
weir  said  Mochae.  Then  the  little  bird  from 
Heaven  sang  to  Mochae  three  songs  from 
the  tree  where  he  was,  and  there  was  fifty 
years  in  each  song  of  those  songs.  And 
Mochae  stoppedthere listening  toit  through 
three  times  fifty  years,  in  the  middle  of  the 
wood  and  having  his  bundle  of  rods  by  his 
side,  and  they  were  not  withered,  and  the 
time  seemed  to  him  as  if  it  was  but  one  hour 
of  the  day.  Then  the  angel  left  him  and 
Mochae  went  back  to  the  church  with  his 
load,  and  there  he  found  a  house  of  prayer 
that  had  been  built  to  his  memory  by  his 
friends,  and  he  wondered  at  seeing  a  church 
built  there.  And  when  he  came  to  the  house 
where  the  brothers  were,  there  was  no  one  in 
it  that  knew  him.  But  when  he  told  his  story 
and  the  way  the  bird  had  sung  to  him,  they 
all  knelt  before  him  and  made  a  shrine  with 
the  rods  he  had  carried.  And  after  that  they 

178 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

built  a  church  on  the  spot  where  he  had 
listened  to  the  bird ;  and  the  walls  of  that 
church  are  standing  yet. 
THE  PRIEST  THAT  There  was  a  miller 
WAS  CALLED  MAD  of  Connacht  more 
than  fifty  years  ago,  and  he  had  his  mill  near 
the  roadside.  And  the  people  do  be  saying 
there  came  some  man  that  was  no  right  man 
to  him  one  night,  and  asked  him  would  he 
sooner  his  wife  or  his  son  to  lose  their  wits. 
The  miller  made  little  of  that  question  'Eor 
as  to  my  wife'  he  said  'she  is  the  most 
sensible  woman  in  the  whole  parish,  and  as 
to  my  son,  he  is  in  the  college  nowand  with- 
in a  week  he  will  be  a  priest,  and  there  is  no 
danger  of  madness  upon  him.'  'Time  is  a 
good  story-teller'  said  the  stranger.  The  first 
Sunday  now  the  son  that  had  been  made  a 
priest  came  home  he  read  the  Mass,  thatwas 
the  first  and  the  last  that  ever  he  read.  For 
that  very  night  madness  came  upon  him  and 
he  stripped  off  every  bit  of  clothing,  and  out 
and  away  with  him  through  the  country,  and 
he  bare  naked,  and  carrying  on  his  head  a 
very  large  book  he  himself  had  written  in 
Irish  and  in  Latin.  He  quieted  after  that,  but 
nothing  anyone  could  do  would  bring  him 
back  to  the  father's  house,  and  he  would  use 

179 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

nothing  but  a  bit  of  meal  or  of  watercress. 
And  every  night  he  would  go  and  sleep  alone 
in  the  mill,  and  having  but  the  big  book 
under  his  head.  And  in  the  daytime  it  was 
his  custom  to  go  out  to  a  wide  field  where 
there  was  a  greatflock  of  sheep  and  of  lambs, 
and  he  used  to  sit  down  in  the  middle  of  the 
field,  and  there  was  not  a  sheep  or  a  lamb 
but  would  gather  to  him,  and  he  used  to  be 
reading  to  them  out  of  his  book  until  he 
would  be  tired.  Then  everyone  of  them 
would  come  to  him  and  would  be  licking 
his  hands.  And  one  time  some  person  was 
listening  to  him  unknown,  and  could  hear 
him  giving  out  his  sermon  to  the  sheep. 
'Listen  to  me'  he  was  saying  to  them  'you 
that  are  without  sin.  You  are  under  the  care 
of  God,  and  there  is  grass  growing  for  you 
and  herbs,  and  there  are  nice  white  dresses 
upon  you  to  keep  you  dry  and  warm ;  and  there 
is  no  Judgement  upon  you  after  your  death, 
and  you  are  happier  by  far  than  the  children 
of  Eve.'  And  he  told  them  of  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  God  to  the  earth,  and  the  bad 
treatment  and  the  abuse  that  he  was  given ; 
and  a  great  many  other  things  he  told  them 
out  of  the  book.  One  night  late  now  his 
father  was  uneasy  about  him,  and  he  got  a 

1 80 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

lantern  and  went  to  the  mill  and  another 
man  along  with  him.  And  when  they  opened 
the  door  they  saw  the  whole  of  the  mill  lit 
up  as  bright  as  if  it  was  the  sun  was  lighting 
it.  And  the  mad  priest  was  lying  there  in  his 
sleep,  and  the  big  book  under  his  head,  and  a 
great  shining  ram  was  standing  on  each  side 
of  him,  guarding  him. 

THE  OLD  WO-  Digdi  was  the  name  of 
MAN  OF  BEARE  the  Old  Woman  of  Be- 
are.  It  is  of  Corca  Dubhne  she  was  and  she 
had  her  youth  seven  times  over,  and  every 
man  that  had  lived  with  her  died  of  old  age, 
and  her  grandsons  and  great-grandsonswere 
tribes  and  races.  And  through  a  hundred 
years  she  wore  upon  her  head  the  veil  Cui- 
mire  had  blessed.  Then  age  and  weakness 
came  upon  her  and  it  is  what  she  said: 
'Ebb-tide  to  me  as  to  the  sea ;  old  age  brings 
me  reproach;  I  used  to  wear  a  shift  that  was 
always  new;  to-day  I  have  not  even  a  cast 
one. 

'It  is  riches  you  are  loving,  it  is  not  men;  it 
was  men  weloved  in  the  timewewereliving. 
'There  were  dear  men  on  whose  plains  we 
used  to  be  driving;  it  is  good  the  time  we 
passed  with  them ;  it  islittle  we  were  broken 
afterwards. 

i8i 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS 

'When  my  arms  are  seen  it  is  long  and  thin 
they  are;  once  they  used  tobe  fondhng,  they 
used  to  be  around  great  kings. 
'The  young  girls  give  a  welcome  to  Beltaine 
when  it  comes  to  them;  sorrow  is  more  fit- 
ting for  me,  an  old  pitiful  hag. 
'I  have  no  pleasant  talk;  no  sheep  are  killed 
for  my  wedding;  it  is  little  but  my  hair  is 
grey;  it  is  many  colours  I  had  over  it  when  I 
used  to  be  drinking  good  ale. 
'I  have  no  envy  against  the  old,  but  only 
against  women;  I  myself  am  spent  with  old 
age,  while  women's  heads  are  still  yellow. 
'The  stone  of  the  kings  on  Feman  ;  the  chair 
of  Ronan  in  Bregia ;  it  is  long  since  storms 
have  wrecked  them,  they  are  old  mouldering 
gravestones. 

'The  wave  of  the  great  sea  is  speaking;  the 
winter  is  striking  us  with  it ;  I  do  not  look  to 
welcome  to-day  Fermuid  son  of  Mugh. 
'I  know  what  they  are  doing ;  they  are  row- 
ing through  the  reeds  of  the  ford  of  Alma;  it 
is  cold  is  the  place  where  they  sleep. 
'The  summer  of  youth  where  we  were  has 
been  spent  along  with  its  harvest ;  winter  age 
that  drowns  everyone,   its    beginning  has 
come  upon  me. 
'It  is  beautiful  was  my  green  cloak,  my  king 

182 


OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

liked  to  see  it  on  me;  it  is  noble  was  the 
man  that  stirred  it ;  he  put  wool  on  it  when 
it  was  bare. 

'Amen,  great  is  the  pity ;  every  acorn  has  to 
drop.  After  feasting  with  shining  candles,  to 
be  in  the  darkness  of  a  prayer-house. 
'I  was  once  living  with  kings, drinking  mead 
andwine;  to-day  I  am  drinking  whey-water 
among  withered  old  women. 
'There  are  three  floods  that  come  up  to  the 
dun  of  Ard-Ruide:  a  flood  of  fighting-men, 
a  flood  of  horses,  a  flood  of  the  hounds  of 
Lugaidh's  Son. 

'The  flood- wave  and  the  two  swift  ebb-tides; 
what  the  flood-wave  brings  you  in,  the  ebb- 
wave  sweeps  out  of  your  hand. 
'The  flood-wave  and  the  second  ebb-tide; 
they  have  all  come  as  far  as  me,  the  way  that 
1  know  them  well. 

'The  flood-tide  will  not  reach  to  the  silence 
of  my  kitchen  ;  though  many  are  my  com- 
pany in  the  darkness,  a  hand  has  been  laid 
upon  them  all. 

*My  flood-tide !  It  is  well  I  have  kept  my 
knowledge.  It  is  Jesus  Son  of  Mary  keeps  me 
happy  at  the  ebb-tide. 

'It  is  far  is  the  island  of  the  great  sea  where 
the  flood  reaches  after  the   ebb ;  I   do   not 

183 


BOOK  FIVE:  GREAT  WONDERS      f 

look  for  flood  to  reach  to  me  after  the  ebb- 
tide.  1 

'There  is  hardly  a  Httle  place  I  can  know  again      ^ 
when  I  see  it ;  what  used  to  be  on  the  flood- 
tide  is  all  on  the  ebb  to-day  ! ' 


184 


BOOK  SIX: 

THE  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

HIS  VISION  OF  THE  It  is  a  monk  going 
LAND  OF  PROMISE  through  hardship 
Blessed  Brendan  was,  that  was  born  in 
Ciarraige  Luachra  of  a  good  father  and 
mother.  It  was  on  Slieve  Daidche  beside 
the  sea  he  was  one  time,  and  he  saw  in  a 
vision  a  beautiful  island  with  angels  serv- 
ing upon  it.  And  an  angel  of  God  came  to 
him  in  his  sleep  and  said  'I  will  be  with 
you  from  this  out  through  the  length  of 
your  lifetime,  and  it  is  I  will  teach  you  to 
find  that  island  you  have  seen  and  have  a 
mindtocome  to.'  When  Brendan  heard  those 
words  from  the  angel  he  cried  with  the  dint 
of  joy,  and  gave  great  thanks  to  God,  and  he 
went  back  to  the  thousand  brothers  that 
were  his  people. 

THE  NEWS  OF  THE  It  happened  now 
HIDDEN  COUNTRY  there  was  a  young 
man  by  name  Mernoke  that  was  a  brother 
in  another  house,  and  that  went  out  in  a  ship 
lookingfor  somelonely place wherehe  might 
serve  God  at  will.  And  he  came  to  an  island 
that  is  convenienttotheMountain  of  Stones, 
and  he  liked  it  well  and  stopped  there  a  good 
while,  himself  and  his  people.  But  after  that 
he  put  out  his  ship  again  and  sailed  on  east- 

185  BB 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

ward  through  the  length  of  three  days.  And 
it  seemed  to  him  on  a  sudden  that  a  cloud 
came  around  them,  the  way  they  were  in 
darkness  the  whole  of  the  day,  till  by  the 
will  ofour  dear  Lord  the  cloudpassedaway  and 
they  saw  before  them  a  shining  lovely  island. 
There  was  enough  of  joy  and  of  rejoicing  in 
thatisland,andeveryherb  was  full  of  blossom 
and  every  tree  was  full  of  fruit;  and  as  for 
the  ground  it  was  shining  with  precious 
stones  on  every  side,  and  heaven  itself  could 
hardly  be  better.  There  came  to  them  then 
a  very  comely  young  man,  that  called  every 
one  of  them  by  name  and  gave  them  a 
pleasant  welcome ;  and  he  said  to  them  'It 
would  be  right  for  you  to  give  good  thanks 
to  Jesus  Christ  that  is  showing  you  this 
hidden  place,  for  this  is  the  country  he  will 
give  to  his  darlings  upon  earth  at  the  world's 
end,  and  it  is  to  this  place  He  himself  will 
come.  And  there  is  another  island  besides 
this  one'  he  said;  'but  you  have  not  leave  to 
go  on  to  it  or  to  have  sight  of  it  at  all.  And 
you  have  been  here  through  the  length  of 
half  a  year'  he  said  'without  meat  or  drink  or 
closing  your  eyes  in  sleep.'  They  thought 
now  they  had  not  been  the  length  of  half  an 
hour  in  that  place,  they  had  been  so  happy 

i86 


TO  TFIE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

and  so  content.  And  he  told  them  that  was 
the  first  dwelhng  place  of  Adam  and  Eve, 
and  there  never  came  darkness  there,  and  the 
name  of  it  w^as  the  Earthly  Paradise.  Then 
he  brought  them  back  to  their  ship  again 
and  w^hen  they  v\^ere  come  to  it  he  vanished 
out  of  their  sight,  and  they  did  not  knov^ 
where  was  it  he  went. 

Then  they  set  out  over  the  sea  again,  and 
w^here  they  came  to  land  was  theplace  where 
Brendan  was  and  his  brothers,  and  they 
questioned  Mernoke's  people  as  to  where 
they  had  been.  'We  have  been'  they  said 
'before  the  gates  of  Paradise,  in  the  Land  of 
Promise,  and  we  had  every  sort  of  joy  there 
and  of  feasting,  and  there  is  always  day  in  it 
and  no  night  at  all.'  And  their  clothes  had 
the  sweetness  of  that  place  about  them  yet 
and  the  brothers  said  'We  are  certain  indeed 
you  have  been  in  that  place,  by  the  happy 
smile  of  you.'  And  when  Brendan  heard  all 
these  tidings  he  stood  still  for  a  while  think- 
ing with  himself;  and  after  that  he  went 
about  among  the  brothers  and  chose  out 
twelveof  themthat  bethought  more  of  than 
of  all  the  rest;  and  he  consulted  them  and 
asked  an  advice  of  them.  'Dear  Father'  they 
said'wehave  left  ourown  willand  ourfriends 

187 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

and  all  our  goods,  and  have  come  as  children 
to  you ;  and  whatever  you  think  well  to  do' 
they  said  'we  will  do  it.' 
THE  BEGINNING  OF  SowiththatBren- 
BRENDAN'S  SEARCH  danmadehis  mind 
up  to  search  out  that  place  by  the  help  of 
God ;  and  he  fasted  forty  days  and  did  hard 
penance.  And  he  made  a  very  large  ship 
having  strong  hides  nailed  over  it,  and  pitch 
over  the  hides,  that  the  water  would  not 
come  in.  And  he  took  his  own  twelve  with 
him  and  took  his  leave  of  the  brothers  and 
bade  them  good-bye.  And  those  he  left 
after  him  were  sorry  everyone,  and  two 
among  them  came  when  he  was  in  the 
ship  and  begged  hard  to  go  with  him. 
And  Brendan  said  'You  have  leave  to  sail 
with  me;  but  one  of  you  will  be  sorry 
that  he  asked  to  come.'  But  for  all  that 
they  would  go  with  him.  Then  they 
rowed  out  into  the  great  sea  of  the  ocean 
in  the  name  of  our  Lord  and  were  no  way 
daunted  at  all.  And  the  sea  and  the  wind 
drove  the  ship  at  will,  so  that  on  the 
morning  of  the  morrow  they  were  out  of 
sight  of  land.  And  so  they  went  on  through 
forty  days  and  the  wind  driving  them  east- 
ward. 

i88 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

THE  VERY  And  at  the  last  they 

COMELY  HOUND  saw  to  the  north  a 
very  large  island  having  hard  rocks  on  every 
side,  and  they  sailed  around  it  for  three  days 
before  they  could  come  near  any  place  of 
landing ;  but  at  the  last  they  found  a  little 
harbour,  and  landed  every  one.  Then  there 
came  of  a  sudden  a  very  comely  hound  and 
it  fell  down  at  Brendan's  feet  and  bade  him 
welcome  in  its  own  way.  'Good  brothers' 
said  Brendan  'there  is  nothing  for  us  to  be 
in  dread  of,  for  I  know  this  is  a  Messenger 
tolead  us  into  a  right  place.'  Then  thehound 
brought  them  into  a  great  hall  where  there 
was  a  table  having  a  cloth  upon  it,  and  bread 
and  fish ;  and  there  was  not  one  of  them  but 
was  glad  of  that,  and  they  sat  down  and  eat 
and  drank ;  and  after  their  supper  they  found 
beds  ready  for  them  and  they  took  their  fill 
of  sleep. 

THE  ISLAND  And  on  the  morrow  they 
OF  SHEEP  went  back  to  their  shipand 

they  sailed  a  long  time  on  the  sea  before 
they  could  see  any  land.  And  at  last  they 
saw  before  them  a  very  green  island,  and 
when  they  landed  and  looked  about  them 
they  saw  sheep  on  every  side  the  whitest 
and  the  finest  that  ever  were  seen,  for  every 

189 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

sheep  was  the  size  of  an  ox.  There  came  to 
them  then  a  very  well-looking  old  man  and 
he  gave  them  a  kind  welcome  and  he  said 
'This  place  you  are  come  to  is  the  Land  of 
Sheep,  and  there  is  never  winter  here  but 
lasting  summer,  and  that  is  why  the  sheep  are 
so  large  and  so  white,  for  the  grass  and  the 
herbs  are  the  best  to  be  found  in  any  place 
at  all.  And  go  on'  he  said  'till  you  come  by 
the  Grace  of  God  to  a  place  that  is  called  the 
Paradise  of  Birds ;  and  it  is  there  you  will 
keep  your  Easter.' 

JASCONYE  Then  they  went  into  the  ship 
THE  FISH  again  and  it  was  driven  by 
storms  till  they  saw  before  them  another 
little  island,  and  the  brothers  went  to  land 
on  it  but  Brendan  stopped  in  the  ship.  And 
they  put  fish  in  a  cauldron  and  lighted  a  fire 
to  boil  it,  and  no  sooner  was  the  fire  hot  and 
the  fish  beginning  to  boil,  than  the  island 
began  to  quake  and  to  move  like  a  living 
thing,  and  there  was  great  fear  on  the 
brothers  and  they  went  back  into  the  ship 
leaving  the  food  and  the  cauldron  after  them, 
and  they  saw  what  they  took  to  be  an  island 
going  fast  through  the  sea,  and  they  could 
notice  the  fire  burning  a  long  way  off,  that 
they  were  astonished.  They  asked  Brendan 

190 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

then  did  he  know  what  was  that  great  won- 
der, and  Brendan  comforted  them  and  he  ' 
said  'It  is  a  great  fish,  the  biggest  of  the 
fishes  of  the  world,  Jasconye  his  name  is,  and 
he  is  labouring  day  and  night  to  put  his  tail 
into  his  mouth,  and  he  cannot  do  it  because 
of  his  great  bulk/ 

THE  PARADISE  They  went  on  then  to 
OF  BIRDS  the  westward  through 

the  length  of  three  days,  and  very  down- 
hearted they  were  seeing  no  land.  But  not 
long  after  by  the  will  of  God  they  saw  a 
beautiful  island  full  of  flowers  and  herbs  and 
trees,  and  they  were  glad  enough  to  see  it 
and  they  went  on  land  and  gave  thanks  to 
God.  And  they  went  a  ilong  way  through 
that  lovely  country,  till  they  came  to  a  very 
good  well  and  a  tree  beside  it  full  of  branches 
and  on  every  branch  were  beautiful  white 
birds,  so  many  of  them  there  were  that  not 
a  leaf  hardly  could  be  seen.  And  it  was  well 
for  them  to  be  looking  at  such  a  tree,  and 
the  happy  singing  of  the  birds  was  like  the 
noise  of  Heaven.  And  Brendan  cried  for  joy 
and  he  kneeled  down  and  bade  the  Lord  to 
tell  him  the  meaning  of  the  birds  and  their 
case.  Then  a  little  bird  of  the  birds  flew 
towards  him  from  the  tree  and  with  the 

191 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

flickering  of  his  wings  he  made  a  very  merry 
noise  like  a  fiddle,  and  it  seemed  to  Brendan 
never  to  have  heard  such  joyful  music.  Then 
the  little  bird  looked  at  him  and  Brendan 
said  'If  you  are  a  Messenger  tell  me  out  your 
estate  and  why  you  sing  so  happily.'  And 
it  is  what  the  bird  said:  'One  time  we  were 
every  one  of  us  angels,  but  when  our  master 
Lucifer  fell  from  heaven  for  his  high  pride 
we  fell  along  with  him,  some  higher  and 
some  lower.  And  because  our  ofl?ence  was 
but  a  little  one'  he  said  'our  Lord  has  put  us 
herewithoutpain  in  great  joy  and  merriment 
to  serve  what  way  we  can  upon  that  tree. 
And  on  the  Sunday  that  is  a  day  of  rest'  he 
said  'we  are  made  as  white  as  any  snow  that 
wemaypraisehimthe  better.  And  it  is  twelve 
months'  he  said  'since  you  left  your  own 
place,  and  at  the  end  of  seven  years  there 
will  be  an  end  to  your  desire.  And  through 
these  seven  years'  he  said  'it  is  here  you  will 
be  keeping  your  Easter  until  you  will  come 
into  the  Land  of  Promise.'  Then  the  bird 
took  his  leave  of  them  and  went  back  to  his 
fellows  upon  the  tree.  It  was  upon  an  Easter 
Day  now  all  this  happened.  Then  all  the 
birds  began  to  sing  the  Vespers,  and  there 
could  be  no  merrier  music  if  God  himself 

192 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

was  among  them.  And  after  supper  Blessed 
Brendan  and  his  comrades  went  to  bed ;  and 
they  rose  up  on  the  morning  of  the  morrow 
and  the  birds  sang  the  matins  and  said  the 
verses  of  the  psalms,  and  sang  all  the  Hours 
as  is  the  habit  with  Christian  men.  And 
Brendan  and  his  people  stopped  there  for 
eightweekstill  after  the  Pentecost;  and  they 
sailed  back  again  to  the  Island  of  the  Sheep, 
and  there  they  got  good  provision  and  took 
their  leave  of  the  old  man  their  Helper,  and 
went  back  into  their  ship. 
THE  SILENT  Then thebirdofthe tree 

BROTHERHOOD  came  tothemagain  and 
he  said  'You  will  sail  from  this  to  an  island 
where  there  are  four  and  twenty  brothers 
and  you  will  spend  your  Christmas  with 
those  holy  men;'  and  with  that  he  flew  back 
again  to  his  comrades.  Then  Brendan  and 
his  people  went  out  again  into  the  ocean  in 
the  name  of  God;  andthe  windshurledthem 
up  and  down,  that  they  were  in  great  danger 
and  tired  of  their  lives.  And  they  were  tossed 
about  through  the  length  of  four  months 
and  they  had  nothing  to  be  looking  at  but 
the  sky  and  the  waves.  And  at  the  last  they 
saw  an  island  that  was  a  good  way  oflf,  and 
they  cried  to  Jesus  Christ  to  bring  them 

193  CO 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

there ;  but  the  waves  rose  about  them  an- 
other forty  days  and  they  were  loath  to  go 
on  Hving.  They  came  then  to  ahttleharbour 
and  it  was  too  narrow  for  the  ship  to  go 
into  it,  so  they  cast  the  anchor  and  they 
themselves  reached  to  the  land.  And  they 
went  searching  the  island  and  they  found 
two  wells,  and  the  water  of  the  one  was 
bright  and  clear  but  the  water  of  the  other 
was  as  if  stirred  and  muddy.  And  some  of 
them  were  going  to  drink  from  the  wells 
but  Brendan  bade  them  not  to  do  it  with- 
out leave.  Then  a  comely  old  man  came 
to  them  and  gave  them  a  fair  enough  wel- 
come, and  he  kissed  Brendan  and  he  led 
them  by  many  good  wells  till  they  came 
to  a  great  Abbey.  And  there  were  in  it  to 
welcome  them  fourand  twenty  brothers  hav- 
ing royal  cloaks  woven  of  threads  of  gold, 
and  a  royal  crown  before  them  and  candles 
on  every  side.  And  the  Abbot  came  and 
kissed  Brendan  very  humbly  and  bade  him 
and  his  people  welcome;  and  he  led  them 
into  a  beautiful  hall  and  mixed  them  there 
among  his  own  people.  Then  there  came 
one  that  served  them  by  the  will  of  God  and 
gave  them  plenty  of  meat  and  drink  and  set 
a  good  white  loaf  between  every  two,  and 

194 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

white  well-tasting  roots  and  herbs, but  they 
did  not  know  what  roots  those  were,  and 
they  drank  the  water  of  the  good  clear  well 
they  had  first  seen.  Then  the  Abbot  came 
and  heartened  them  and  bade  them  to  eat 
and  to  drink  their  fill.  'For  every  day'  he 
said  '  our  meat  and  drink  is  brought  to  our 
cellar  by  a  strong  man;  and  we  do  not  know 
where  it  is  brought  from  but  that  it  is  sent 
to  us  through  God.  And  we  have  never  pro- 
vided meat  or  drink  for  ourselves'  he  said; 
'four  and  twenty  brothers  we  are,  and  every 
day  of  the  week  He  sends  us  twelve  loaves, 
and  on  every  Sunday  and  on  the  day  of  Saint 
Patrick  twenty-four  loaves,  and  the  bread 
that  we  do  not  use  at  dinner  we  use  it  at 
supper-time.  And  now  at  your  coming  our 
Lord  has  sent  us  forty-eight  loaves  that  we 
may  be  merry  together.  And  always  twelve 
of  us  go  to  dinner'  he  said  'while  another 
twelve  of  us  serve  the  quire;  and  we  are  here 
these  fourscore  years  and  in  this  country 
there  is  no  sickness  or  bad  weather.  And 
there  are  seven  wax  tapers  in  the  quire'  he 
said  'that  have  never  been  lighted  by  any 
man's  hand,  and  that  burn  day  and  night  at 
every  hour  of  prayers  and  that  have  never 
wasted  or  lessened  through  these  fourscore 

195 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

years.'  After  that  Brendan  went  to  the  church 
with  the  Abbot,  and  they  said  the  evening 
prayers  together  very  devoutly.  And  Brendan 
saw  beautiful  woven  stuffs,  and  chalices  of 
clear  crystal,  and  in  the  quire  were  twenty- 
four  seats  for  the  twenty-four  brothers  and 
a  seat  for  the  Abbot  in  the  middle  of  them 
all.  And  Brendan  asked  the  Abbot  how 
long  it  was  they  had  kept  silence  so  well 
that  no  one  of  them  spoke  to  the  others,  and 
the  Abbot  said  'Our  Lord  knows  no  one  of 
us  has  spoken  to  another  these  fourscore 
years.'  And  when  Brendan  heard  that  he 
cried  for  joy  and  'Dear  Father'  he  said  'for 
the  love  of  God  let  me  stop  along  with  you 
here.'  'You  know  well'  said  the  Abbot  'you 
have  no  leave  to  do  that,  for  has  not  our 
Lord  showed  you  what  you  have  to  do,  and 
that  you  will  turn  back  to  Ireland  in  the 
end.?'  And  as  Brendan  was  kneeling  in  the 
church  he  saw  a  bright  angel  that  came 
in  by  the  window  and  that  lighted  all  the 
candles  in  the  church,  and  went  out  by  the 
window  again  to  Heaven.  'There  is  wonder 
on  me'  said  Brendan  'those  candles  to  burn 
the  way  they  do  and  never  to  waste.'  'Did 
you  never  hear'  said  the  Abbot  'how  in  the 
old  time  Moses  saw  a  bush  that  was  burning 

196 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

from  the  top  to  the  ground,  and  the  more  it 
burned  the  greener  were  the  leaves  ?  And  let 
you  not  wonder'  he  said  'the  power  of  the 
Lord  to  be  as  great  now  as  ever  it  was.' 
THE  FEAST  OF  THE  And  when  Bren- 
RESURRECTION  dan  had  stopped 

there  through  Christmas  and  for  Little 
Christmas,  he  bade  good-bye  to  the  Abbot 
and  the  brothers  and  went  back  to  the  ship 
with  his  people.  And  the  sea  tumbled  them 
up  and  down  that  they  were  sorry  enough 
until  Palm  Sunday,  and  with  its  coming  they 
came  again  to  the  Island  of  Sheep,  and  they 
met  there  with  the  same  old  man  as  before, 
and  he  welcomed  them  a  second  time.  And 
on  Holy  Thursday  after  supper  he  washed 
their  feet  and  kissed  them,  and  they  stayed 
in  that  place  till  Easter  Eve;  and  then  at  his 
bidding  they  set  out  and  sailed  to  the  place 
where  the  fish  Jasconye  was  lying.  And  they 
found  upon  his  back  the  cauldron  they  had 
left  there  a  year  ago,  and  they  kept  the  Feast 
of  the  Resurrection  there  upon  the  fish's 
back.  And  they  sang  there  their  Matins  and 
their  Vespers  and  all  their  Masses,  and  the 
great  beast  stayed  as  still  as  any  stone. 
THE  BIRD'S  Andwhen  they  had  kept 

FORETELLING     their  Easter  with  great 

197 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

honour  they  went  on  to  the  island  having 
the  tree  of  birds.  And  the  Httle  bird  gave 
them  a  good  welcome  and  it  is  lively  was  the 
soundof  his  song.  So  they  stopped  there  from 
Easter  to  Candlemas  the  same  as  the  year 
before,  very  happy  and  content,  listening  to 
the  merry  service  that  was  sung  upon  the 
tree.  Then  the  bird  told  Blessed  Brendan  he 
should  go  back  again  for  Christmas  to  the 
Island  of  the  Abbey,  and  at  Easter  he  should 
come  hither  again  and  the  rest  of  the  year 
he  should  be  labouring  in  the  great  sea  in 
troubleand  in  danger.  ^Andso  it  will  be  with 
you  from  year  to  year  to  the  end  of  forty 
years'  he  said  'and  then  you  will  reach  to  the 
Land  of  Promise ;  and  then  through  forty 
days  you  will  have  your  fill  of  joy.  And  after 
that  you  will  return  to  your  own  country'he 
said  'quite  easily  and  without  any  annoy,  and 
thereyou  will  end  your  life.'  Then  the  Angel 
that  was  their  helper  brought  all  sorts  of 
provision  and  loaded  the  ship  and  made  all 
ready.  So  they  thankedour  Lord  forhisgreat 
goodness  that  he  had  showed  them  so  often 
in  their  great  need,  and  they  sailed  out  into 
the  sea  among  great  storms. 
THE  DANGERS  And  soon  there  came 
OF  THE  SEA  after    them  a    horrible 

198 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

great  fish  that  was  following  their  ship  and 
that  was  casting  up  such  great  spouts  of 
water  out  of  his  mouth  that  they  had  like  to 
be  drowned,  and  he  was  coming  so  fast  that 
he  had  all  but  reached  to  them.  Then  they 
cried  on  Jesus  Christ  to  help  them  in  that 
great  danger.  And  with  that  there  came 
another  fish  bigger  than  the  first  out  of  the 
west,  and  made  an  attack  on  him  and  beat 
him  and  at  the  last  made  three  halves  of  him 
and  went  away  again  as  he  came,  and  they 
were  very  glad  and  gave  thanks  to  Jesus 
Christ.  And  after  that  again  they  were  very 
downhearted  through  hunger,  for  all  their 
food  was  spent.  And  there  came  to  them 
then  a  little  bird  having  with  him  a  great 
branch  full  of  red  grapes,  and  they  lived  by 
them  through  fourteen  days  and  had  their 
fill.  And  when  that  failed  them  they  came 
to  a  little  island  that  was  full  of  beautiful 
trees,  and  fruit  on  every  bough  of  them.  And 
Brendan  landed  out  of  the  ship  and  gathered 
as  much  of  that  fruit  would  last  them  through 
forty  days,  and  they  went  sailing  and  ever 
sailing  through  storm  and  through  wind. 
And  of  a  sudden  there  came  sailing  towards 
them  a  great  monster  and  it  made  an  attack 
upon  them  and  on  their  ship  and  had  like  to 

199 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

have  destroyed  them,  and  at  that  they  cried 
pitifully  and  thought  themselves  as  good  as 
dead.  And  then  the  little  bird  that  had 
spoken  with  them  from  the  tree  at  Easter 
timecame  at  the  monster  and  struck  out  one 
of  his  eyes  with  the  first  attack  and  theother 
eye  with  the  second  and  made  an  end  of  him 
thathe  fell  into  the  sea ;  and  itis  well  pleased 
Brendan  was  when  he  saw  that  bird  coming. 
Then  they  gave  thanks  to  God,  and  they 
went  on  sailing  until  Saint  Peter's  Day,  and 
they  sang  the  service  in  honour  of  the  Feast. 
Andin  that  place  the  water  was  so  clear  that 
they  could  see  to  the  bottom,  and  it  was  all 
as  if  covered  with  a  great  heap  of  fishes. 
And  the  brothers  were  in  dread  at  the  sight 
of  all  the  fishes  and  they  advised  Brendan  to 
speak  softly  and  not  to  waken  the  fishes  for 
feartheymightbreak  theship.  And  Brendan 
said  'Why  would  you  that  have  these  two 
yearskepttheFeastof  the  Resurrection  upon 
the  great  fish's  back  be  in  dread  of  these  little 
fishes?'  And  with  that  he  made  ready  for 
the  Mass  and  sang  louder  than  before.  And 
the  fishes  awoke  and  started  up  and  came  all 
around  the  ship  in  a  heap,  that  they  could 
hardly  see  the  water  for  fishes.  But  when 
the  Mass  was  ended  each  one  of  themturned 

200 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

himself  and  swam  away,  and  they  saw  them 
no  more. 

A  BORDER  For  seven  daysnow  they  were 
OF  HELL  going  on  through  that  clear 
water,  and  there  came  a  south  wind  that 
drove  them  on  and  they  did  not  know  where 
were  they  going.  And  at  the  end  of  eight 
days  they  saw  far  away  in  the  north  a  dark 
country  full  of  stench  and  of  smoke;  and  as 
the  ship  drew  near  it  they  heard  great  blow- 
ing and  blasting  of  bellows,  and  a  noise  of 
blows  anda  noise  like  thunder,  the  way  they 
were  all  afeared  and  blessed  themselves.  And 
soon  after  there  came  one  starting  out  all 
burning,  and  he  turned  away  again  and  gave 
out  a  cry  that  could  be  heard  a  long  way  off. 
And  with  that  there  came  demons  thick 
about  themon  every  side,  with  tongs  and  with 
fiery  hammers,  and  followed  after  them  till 
it  seemed  all  the  sea  to  be  one  fire;  but  by 
the  will  of  God  they  had  no  power  to  hurt 
them.  And  then  the  demons  began  to  roar 
and  cry,  and  threw  their  tongs  at  them  and 
their  hammers,  and  then  they  turned  from 
the  ship  with  a  sorrowful  cry  and  went  back 
to  the  place  they  came  from.  'What  are  you 
thinking .?'  said  Brendan  'was  this  a  merry 
happening .?  And  we  will  comeherenomore' 

201  DD 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

he  said  'for  that  was  a  border  of  hell,  and  the 
devil  hadgreat  hopes  of  usbut  he  washindered 
by  Jesus  Christ.'  Then  the  south  wind  drove 
them  farther  again  into  the  north,  and  they 
saw  a  hill  all  on  fire  and  like  as  if  walled  in 
with  fire,  and  clouds  upon  it,  and  if  there 
was  much  smoke  in  that  other  place,  there 
was  more  again  in  this.  Then  one  of  the 
brothers  began  to  cry  and  to  moan  and  to 
say  his  time  was  come  and  that  he  could  stay 
in  the  ship  no  longer,  and  with  that  he  made 
a  leap  out  of  the  ship  into  the  sea  and  he 
cried  and  moaned  so  dolefully  that  it  was  a 
pity  to  hear  him.  'My  grief  he  said  'my 
wretched  life;  for  now  I  see  my  end  and  I 
have  been  with  you  in  happiness  and  I  may 
go  with  you  no  more  for  ever  ! ' 
A  MOST  Then  the  wind  turned  and 

WRETCHED  drove  the  ship  southward 
GHOST  through    seven   days,   and 

they  came  to  a  great  rock  in  the  sea,  and  the 
sea  breaking  over  it.  And  on  the  rock  was 
sitting  awretched  ghost,  naked  and  in  great 
misery  and  pain,  for  the  waves  of  the  sea  had 
so  beaten  his  body  that  all  the  flesh  was  gone 
from  it  and  nothing  was  left  but  sinews  and 
bare  bones.  And  there  was  a  cloth  tied  to 
his  chin  and  two  tongues  of  oxen  with  it, 

202 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

and  when  the  wind  blew,  the  cloth  beat 
against  his  body,  and  the  waves  of  the  sea 
beat  him  before  and  behind,  the  way  no  one 
could  find  in  any  place  a  more  wretched 
ghost.  And  Brendan  bade  himtellwhowashe 
in  the  name  of  God,  and  what  he  had  done 
against  God  and  why  he  was  sitting  there. 
'I  am  a  dolefulshadow'hesaid'thatwretched 
Judas  that  sold  our  Lord  for  pence  and  I  am 
sitting  here  most  wretchedly ;  and  this  is 
not  my  right  place'  he  said  'for  my  right 
place  is  in  burning  hell,  but  by  our  Lord's 
grace  I  am  brought  here  at  certain  times  of 
the  year,  for  I  am  here  every  Sunday  and 
from  the  evening  of  Saturday,  and  from 
Christmas  to  Little  Christmasandfrom  Easter 
to  the  Feast  of  Pentecost  and  on  every  feast 
day  of  Our  Lady ;  for  he  is  full  of  mercy. 
But  at  other  times  I  am  lying  in  burning  fire 
with  Pilate,  Herod,  Annas  and  Caiaphas; 
and  I  am  cursing  and  ever  cursing  the  time 
when  I  was  born.  And  I  bid  you  for  the  love 
of  God'  he  said  'to  keep  me  from  the  devils 
that  will  be  coming  after  me.'  And  Brendan 
said  'With  the  help  of  God  we  will  protect 
you  through  the  night.  And  tell  me  what  is 
that  cloth  that  is  hanging  from  your  head' 
he  said.  'It  is  a  cloth  I  gave  to  a  leper  when 

203 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

I  was  on  earth,  and  because  it  was  given  for 
the  love  of  God,  it  is  hanging  before  me. 
But  because  it  was  not  with  my  own  pence 
I  bought  it  but  with  what  belonged  to  our 
Lord  and  his  brothers'  he  said  'it  is  more 
harmful  to  me  than  helpful,  beating  very 
hard  in  my  eyes.  And  those  tongues  that 
you  see  hanging' he  said 'I  gave  to  the  priests 
upon  earth  and  so  they  are  here  and  are  some 
ease  to  me,  because  the  fishes  of  the  sea  gnaw 
upon  them  and  spare  me.  And  thisstone that 
I  am  sitting  upon'  he  said  'I  found  it  lying  in 
a  desolate  place  where  there  was  no  use  for 
it,  and  I  took  it  and  laid  it  in  a  boggy  path 
where  it  was  a  great  comfort  to  those  that 
passed  that  way;  and  because  of  that  it  com- 
forts me  now,  and  there  are  but  few  good 
deeds  I  have  to  tell  of  he  said.  On  the  even- 
ing now  of  the  Sunday  there  came  a  great 
troop  of  devils  blasting  and  roaring  and  they 
said  to  Brendan  'Go  from  this,  God's  man, 
you  have  nothing  to  do  here,  and  let  us  have 
our  comrade  and  bring  him  back  to  hell  for 
we  dare  not  face  our  master  and  he  not  with 
us.'  'I  will  not  give  you  leave  to  do  your 
master's  orders'  said  Brendan  'but  I  charge 
you  by  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
to  leave  him  here  thisnightuntil  tomorrow.' 

204 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

'Would  you  dare'  said  the  devils  'to  help  him 
that  betrayed  his  master  and  sold  him  to 
death  and  to  great  shame?'  ButBrendanlaid 
orders  on  them  not  to  annoy  him  that  night, 
and  they  cried  out  horribly  and  went  away, 
and  with  that  Judas  thankedBlessedBrendan 
so  mournfully  that  it  was  a  pity  to  hear  him. 
And  on  the  morning  of  the  morrow  the 
devils  came  again  and  cried  out  and  scolded 
at  Brendan.  'Away  with  you'  they  said  'for 
our  master  the  great  devil  tormented  us 
heavily  through  the  night  because  we  had 
not  brought  himwithus;  andwewill  avenge 
it  on  him'  they  said  'and  he  will  get  double 
pains  for  the  six  days  to  come.'  And  then 
they  turned  and  took  away  with  them  that 
wretched  one,  quailing  and  trembling  as  he 
went. 

PAUL  THE  Then  Brendan  and  his  people 
HERMIT  sailed  through  the  length  of 

three  days  and  three  nights,  and  on  the 
Friday  they  saw  before  them  an  island.  And 
when  Brendan  saw  it  he  began  to  sigh  and 
to  cry.  'Paul  the  hermit  is  in  that  island'  he 
said  'and  there  he  has  been  without  meat  or 
drink  these  forty  years.'  And  when  they  had 
come  to  land  that  old  hermit  came  to  them 
and  humbly  welcomed  them,  and  his  body 

205 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

was  bare,  but  for  his  hair  and  his  beard  that 
covered  it.  And  when  Brendan  saw  him  he 
cried  and  he  said  'Now  I  see  one  that  Hves 
the  Hfe  of  an  angel  rather  than  a  man.'  But 
Paul  said  'You  yourself  are  better  than  my- 
self, for  God  has  showed  you  more  of  his 
hidden  things  than  to  any  other.'  And  he 
told  them  his  own  story  and  how  he  had 
been  fed  by  an  otter  through  forty  years  by 
the  grace  of  God.  And  then  the  two  blessed 
men  parted  from  one  another  and  there  was 
sorrow  enough  in  that  parting. 
A  LUCKY  Then  they  went  back  to  the 
JOURNEY  ship  and  they  were  driven  to- 
wards the  south  bya  great  wind  through  the 
forty  days  of  Lent.  And  on  Easter  Eve  they 
reached  to  their  good  Helper  and  he  gave 
them  good  treatment  as  he  had  done  before. 
And  then  he  led  them  to  the  great  fish  and 
it  was  upon  his  back  they  said  their  Matins 
and  their  Mass.  And  when  the  Mass  was 
ended  the  fish  began  to  move  and  he  swam 
out  very  far  into  the  sea  and  there  was  great 
terror  on  the  brothers  when  he  did  that  and 
they  being  on  his  back,  for  it  was  a  great 
wonder  to  see  a  beast  that  was  the  size  of  a 
whole  country  goingso  fast  through  the  seas. 
But  by  the  will  of  God  the  fish  set  them 

206 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

down  in  the  Paradise  of  Birds  sound  and 
whole  and  left  them  there  and  went  from 
them.  And  they  were  well  pleased  to  be  in 
that  place  and  they  spent  their  time  there 
till  after  the  Trinity  as  they  had  done  before. 
THE  LAND  And  after  that  they  took 
OF  PROMISE  theirshipandsailedthrough 
forty  days  eastward.  And  at  the  end  of  the 
forty  days  there  came  a  great  shower  of  hail 
and  then  a  dark  mist  came  about  them,  and 
they  were  in  it  for  a  long  time.  Then 
their  Helpercame  to  them  and  said'Let  you 
be  glad  now  and  hearten  yourselves  for  you 
are  come  to  the  Land  of  Promise. 'Then  they 
came  out  of  the  dark  mist  and  they  saw  to 
the  east  the  loveliest  country  that  any  one 
could  see.  Clear  it  was  and  lightsome,  and 
there  was  enough  in  it  of  joy,  and  the  trees 
were  full  of  fruit  on  every  bough,  and  the 
apples  were  as  ripe  as  at  harvest  time.  And 
they  were  going  about  that  country  through 
forty  days  and  could  see  no  end  to  it,  and  it 
was  always  day  there  and  never  night,  and 
the  air  neither  hot  nor  cold  but  always  in 
the  one  way,  and  the  delight  that  they  found 
there  could  never  be  told.  Then  they  came 
to  a  river  that  they  could  not  cross,  but  they 
could  see  beyond  it  the  country  that  had  no 

207 


BOOK  SIX:  VOYAGE  OF  BRENDAN 

bounds  to  its  beauty.  Then  there  came  to 
them  a  young  man  the  comeHest  that  could 
be,  and  he  gave  them  all  a  welcome,  and  to 
Brendan  he  showed  great  honour  and  took 
him  by  the  hand  and  said  to  him  'Here  is 
the  country  you  have  been  in  search  of,  but 
it  is  our  Lord's  will  you  should  go  back  again 
and  make  no  delay,  and  he  will  show  you 
more  of  his  hidden  things  when  you  will 
come  again  into  the  great  sea.  And  charge 
your  ship  with  the  fruit  of  this  country'  he 
said ;  ^and  you  will  soon  be  out  of  the  world 
for  your  life  is  near  its  end.  And  this  river 
you  see  here  is  the  mering'  he  said  'that 
divides  the  worlds,  for  no  man  may  come  to 
the  other  side  of  it  while  he  is  in  life ;  and 
when  our  Lord  will  have  drawn  every  man 
to  him,  and  when  every  man  will  know  him 
and  be  under  his  law,  it  is  then  there  will  be 
leave  to  see  this  country,  towards  the  world's 
end. 'Then  Brendanand  his  comrades  did  not 
fast  from  the  fruit,  but  brought  away  what 
they  could  of  it  and  of  precious  stones,  and 
put  them  in  their  ship  and  went  away  home- 
wards, and  sorry  enough  they  were  to  go. 
BRENDAN'S  And  they  sailed  home 

HOME-COMING     in  their  ship  to  Ireland 
and  it  is  glad  the  brothers  they  had  left  after 

208 


TO  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

them  were  to  see  them  come  home  out  of 
such  great  dangers.  And  as  to  Brendan  he 
was  from  that  time  as  if  he  did  not  belong 
to  this  world  at  all,  but  his  mind  and  his  joy 
were  in  the  delight  of  heaven.  And  it  is  in 
Ireland  he  died  and  was  buried;  and  that 
God  may  bring  us  to  the  same  joy  his  blessed 
soul  returned  to! 


209  EE 


NOTE 

The  Irish  text  of  the  greater  number  of  the 
hymns  and  legends  in  this  book  has  been 
published  in  the  Revue  Celtique^  Irische 
Texte^Zeitschrift  Celtische  Philologie,  £r/^,and 
elsewhere.  From  this  text  I  have  worked, 
making  my  own  translation  as  far  as  my 
scholarship  goes, and  when  it  fails  taking  the 
meaning  given  by  better  scholars.  The  Old 
Woman  of  Be  are  and  the  verses  taken  from 
the  Hymn  of  Marbhan  differ  very  slightly 
from  the  translations  published  by  Professor 
Kuno  Meyer.  I  and  my  readers  are  in- 
debted to  the  work  of  Mr.  Whitley  Stokes, 
especially  in  the  Voyage  of  Mae  I  dune  [Revue 
Celtique)  and  the  Ever-Living  Tongue  (lately 
published  in  full  in  Eriu)^  and  to  Mr. 
Standish  Hayes  O'Grady's  inexhaustible 
Silva  Gaedelica. 

Among  other  Irish  scholars  and  editors 
of  texts  to  whom  we  owe  thanks  are 
O'Curry,  O'Donovan,  Reeves,  Todd, 
Henebry,  O'Donoghue,  O'Beirne  Crowe. 
Also  to  M.  d'Arbois  de  Jubainville  [Cycle 
Mythologique)^  Dr.  Atkinson,  and  Rev.  Dr. 
Bernard  [Liber  Hymnorum)^  Mr.  Edward 
Gwynn    [The   Priest    and  the    Bees),    the 

2IO 


NOTE 

Rev.  M.  O'Riordan  {Voyage  of  Brendan)^ 
and  to  An  Craoibhin, 
I  am  grateful  to  these  as  well  as  to  those  men 
and  women  I  have  met  in  workhouses  or  on 
roadsides  or  by  the  hearth,  who  have  kept  in 
mind  through  many  years  the  great  wonders 
done  among  the  children  of  the  Gael. 


NAMES   OF   PLACES   STILL   IDENTIFIED 


Almhuin . 
Ardmacha 
Beinn  Edair    . 
Boinne     . 
Beinn  Gulbahi 
Bregia     . 
Carraige  Luachra 
Corca  Dubhne . 
Cenades  . 
Cluaifi  E^'aird 
Corcomruadh  . 
Cruachan 
Drui7ncliab 
Druim  Ceta 
Doire 

Hill  of  Usnech . 
Laighis    . 
Loch  Lene 
Loch  Febhail    . 
Loch  Neach 
Magh  Femen    . 
Magh  Breg 
Moen 

Mofiaster  Boife 
Rathboth . 


Hill  of  Allen,  co.  Kildare. 
Armagh. 
Hill  of  Howth. 
The  Boyne. 
Near  Sligo. 
Bray. 

Co.  Kerry. 

Corcaguiny,  co.  Kerry. 
Kells,  CO.  Meath. 
Clonard. 

Near  Burren,  co.  Clare. 
Rathcroghan  co.  Roscommon. 
Drumcliff,  co.  Sligo. 
The  Mullagh,  near  Newtownards. 
Derry. 

West  Meath. 
Leix. 

Killarney. 
Lough  Foyle 
Lough  Neagh. 
Near  Sleve-na-Man. 
East  Meath. 
Moone,  east  of  Athy. 
Monasterboice,  co.  Louth. 
Between     Donegal     and     Bally- 
shannon. 


211 


NOTE 

Sord 
Sionnan  . 
Taillten  . 
Toraig    . 
Uarafi  Garaid 
Wood  of  Fochlad 


Swords. 

The  Shannon. 

Telltown. 

Tory  Island,  co.  Donegal. 

River  Cruind. 

North  West  of  Sligo. 


V' 


<j. 


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